15 Big Ones is the twentieth studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1976, by Brother/Reprise. It includes a mix of original songs and renditions of rock 'n' roll and R&B standards. The LP was the band's first album with production credited solely to Brian Wilson since Pet Sounds (1966). As such, its release was accompanied by a controversial media campaign that declared his comeback as an active member of the Beach Boys' recording and touring group.

Following their previous album, Holland (1973), the band had focused on touring and attracting bigger concert audiences, especially after the unexpected success of their greatest hits compilation Endless Summer (1974). They attempted to record a new album at Caribou Ranch studio in late 1974, but it was soon abandoned, partly due to Wilson being unable or unwilling to participate. At the end of 1975, his bandmates and manager Stephen Love prevailed upon him to produce the group's next release, hoping that a new album bearing his production label credit would prove lucrative.

Most of 15 Big Ones was hastily recorded in early 1976 at the band's Brother Studios. The project was marred by creative disputes, time constraints, health issues among the band members, and interference from Brian's psychologist, Eugene Landy. One of the proposed titles, Group Therapy, was rejected in favor of a title that referred to both the number of tracks and the group's 15th anniversary. To support the album, Brian joined his bandmates on a major concert tour for the first time since 1964. The group also commissioned an NBC television special, titled The Beach Boys, that aired in August.

Despite mixed reviews, 15 Big Ones was the Beach Boys' best-selling album of new material since 1965, earning a gold certification from the RIAA. It peaked at number 8 in the U.S. and number 31 in the UK. Three singles were issued: a cover of Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music" (number 5) and the originals "It's OK" (number 29) and "Everyone's in Love with You". The former two were their only top 30 hits in this decade. Brian later referred to 15 Big Ones and its 1977 follow-up, The Beach Boys Love You, as his favorite and most artistically representative work.

Background

thumb|left|The Beach Boys performing in New York City, 1971.

In January 1973, the Beach Boys' previous album, Holland, was released amid generally favorable reviews and top 40 entries in the U.S. and UK charts. Early copies of the LP were packaged with a bonus EP, Mount Vernon and Fairway, that was produced by Brian and Carl Wilson. Brian's original concept for Mount Vernon and Fairway was to be "much more ambitious", consisting of renditions of 1950s songs like "A Casual Look". His bandmates took issue with the space it would have taken on the LP, and he subsequently lost interest, leaving Carl to finish the project.

The group maintained a touring regimen, but recorded very little in the studio for the next two years. Several months earlier, they had announced that they would complete their unfinished album Smile, but this never came to fruition, and plans for its release were once again abandoned. Following the June 1973 death of the Wilsons' father and former band manager Murry, Brian retreated into his bedroom and withdrew further into drug abuse, alcoholism, chain smoking, and overeating. He reflected, "I used my room as my little castle. Added to that, I was very depressed with the Beach Boys. I couldn't talk to them and nobody in the band could relate to me. This went on for about two and a half years. But, on and off, I'd sometimes go and record."

In October 1973, the band fired their manager, Jack Rieley. By his account, he had "pulled away" from the band due to "terribly complex, complicated and horribly distasteful situations involving aspects of their business and financial management." Rieley's position was succeeded by Mike Love's brother Steve and Chicago manager James William Guercio. Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar, who had joined the Beach Boys as official members in 1972, left the band in December 1973 and November 1974, respectively.

The Beach Boys' greatest hits compilation Endless Summer was released in June 1974 to unexpected success, becoming the band's second number-one U.S. album in October. The LP had a 155-week chart run, selling over 3 million copies, and led the group to reclaim themselves as the number-one act in the U.S. amid a new generation of fans. Guercio prevailed upon the group to swap out newer songs with older material in their concert setlists, partly to accommodate their growing audience and the demand for their early hits. Later in the year, members of the band appeared as guests on Chicago's hit "Wishing You Were Here". At the end of 1974, Rolling Stone proclaimed the Beach Boys "Band of the Year" based on the strength of their live performances.

Early recording history (1974–1975)

thumb|The band initially convened at [[Caribou Ranch in the Colorado mountains (pictured) to record their fifth studio album for Reprise.]]

To capitalize on their sudden resurgence in popularity, the Beach Boys accepted Guercio's invitation to record their next Reprise album at his Caribou Ranch studio, located around the mountains of Nederland, Colorado. These November 1974 sessions marked the group's return to the studio after a 21-month period of virtual inactivity, but the proceedings were cut short after Brian had insisted on returning to his home in Los Angeles. Guercio remembered, "From the day he got here, he said, 'I want to go home.'" Contrary to popular belief, the fire that occurred at Caribou Ranch in 1985 is unlikely to have destroyed any Beach Boy tapes, as they would often take their tapes back to Brother Studio after recording at other studios. Wilson had resumed his songwriting collaboration with poet Stephen Kalinich (who did not accompany the band to Colorado), resulting in such songs as "Child of Winter", "California Feelin'", "You're Riding High on the Music" (written for John Kay) and "Lucy Jones" (intended for an unrealized Wilson-produced Kalinich rock album).

In a July 1975 article for NME, Nick Kent reported that Carl Wilson had cited "Rollin' Up to Heaven" (retitled from "Ding Dang"), "California Feelin", and "Good Timing" as "titles to new Brian Wilson songs recorded for the next Warner/Reprise album". Carl told Kent that the new songs demonstrated Brian's new "funky" approach. In September, the band recorded an unreleased version of the Del-Vikings' "Come Go with Me". In October, Wilson recorded a rendition of Van Dyke Parks' "Come to the Sunshine", also intended for the band's forthcoming album, but reportedly Brian could not find the master.

Although another joint tour with Chicago had been planned for the summer of 1976, the Beach Boys' association with Guercio and his Caribou Management company ended early in the year. Stephen Love subsequently took over as the band's de facto business manager.

Main production (January–May 1976)

Overview

By the time 15 Big Ones was recorded, the Beach Boys had fallen three albums behind schedule in their contract with Warner Bros. In late 1975, Wilson volunteered himself into psychologist Eugene Landy's 24-hour therapy program. Encouraged by the positive results of Landy's treatment, Stephen Love and Wilson's bandmates requested that Wilson produce the album that became 15 Big Ones. He had not been credited as the sole producer on a Beach Boys LP since Pet Sounds (1966).

thumb|left|Brian Wilson (left) behind the mixing board of [[Brother Studios with engineer Stephen Moffitt, ]]

The principal 15 Big Ones sessions lasted from January 30 to May 15, 1976 at Brother Studios. Studio staff engineers Stephen Moffitt and Earle Mankey, the latter a former member of Sparks, were enlisted for the project. Carl and Dennis assisted Brian with the instrumental tracks, while Al Jardine and Mike Love contributed just vocals. Group meetings were supervised by Landy. Band road manager Rick Nelson acknowledged that Landy had attempted to exert unwelcome artistic control over the group. Landy remarked in a 1988 interview, "Brian and I did that [album] together."

In the assessment of biographer Peter Ames Carlin, one of the "more distressing" characteristics of the recordings is the quality of Wilson's singing. Carlin writes that Wilson's "powerful but tender falsetto" had degenerated into "a baritone croak." In his 2016 memoir, I Am Brian Wilson, it is stated that he suffered from a bout of laryngitis during the sessions, adding that his hoarse voice on the album was not his "normal voice [...] It was an assumed voice."

thumb|An [[ARP String Ensemble was used on several tracks]]

15 Big Ones is distinguished for its use of Moog and ARP synthesizers, played by Wilson himself, signaling a more electronic-heavy sound compared to his past productions. Mankey surmised that Wilson had employed synthesizers "to fake string parts [...] and not have to worry about anything else. He was in there to play the part and get out."

Original concept

As a warm-up exercise, Brian first recorded a batch of oldies with many of the session musicians that he had worked with during the mid-1960s. Initially, Wilson was to have produced one or two albums of all-original material after finishing these oldies exercises. Crawdaddy journalist Timothy White, an observer of much of the album's recording, explained that the premise "represented a compromise at a stage when the Boys had felt stymied as a unit and reluctant to commit their own recent or stockpiled individual compositions to a communal album that didn't mainly feature Brian's work."

Wilson recalled, "It was a little scary because [the other Beach Boys and I] had drifted apart, personality-wise. A lot of the guys had developed new personalities through meditation. It was a bit scary and shaky. But we went into the studio with the attitude that we had to get it done." Stephen observed that the band "had mixed feelings about [Brian's comeback] because they knew it would frustrate their own designs for their own music. But they probably liked it economically, because they knew it was going to get them a bigger record deal." According to biographer Keith Badman, discussions over each potential album track had lasted up to eight hours.

According to Dennis, the group "couldn't agree on enough" with regards to the songs that they had stockpiled. Shortly before the sessions had commenced, Dennis explained that the fate of the band's wealth of unreleased material depended on the individual songwriters, noting that the pressure to release songs had detracted from the creative enjoyment. He reported that the group had planned to issue one album of oldies and a potential double album consisting of "all-new material that stretches from hard rock 'n' roll to these wordless vocals we've been doing that sound like the Vienna Boys Choir."

Session difficulties

Following two days in the studio, during which the band recorded "Palisades Park" and "Blueberry Hill", the sessions temporarily halted due to disagreements regarding the album's direction. According to Brian, "I started to change my mind [about producing the album], and they said, 'Come on, come on, Brian. You can't stop.'" The group had recorded about two dozen different songs, mostly cover versions, by the time the sessions had wrapped.

Songs

Originals

"It's OK", written by Brian and Mike, is an upbeat song about celebrating summer fun. "Had to Phone Ya" was written by Wilson while his wife Marilyn was away in Europe. "Everyone's in Love with You", written about the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, was Mike Love's second ever solo contribution to a Beach Boys album. "That Same Song" was described by Carlin as "a whimsical history of world music that came close to sparking the gospel fire it set out to ignite". "T M Song" begins with a mock argument between the band members, possibly based on the real life arguments that had been occurring among themselves. The Guardians Alexis Petridis concurred that the coverage had been "heartbreaking and horrifying in equal measure, depicting a halting, visibly terrified man".

Concert tours

Starting on July 2, 1976, Wilson made regular concert appearances with his bandmates for the first time since December 1964, singing and alternating between piano and bass. Some reports erroneously state that it was the first time Wilson had appeared onstage with the band since 1964; in fact, Wilson had last done so in 1973.

From July 3 to August 15, 1976, the group embarked on a string of major stadium concert dates across the U.S. Supporting musicians included Billy Hinsche (guitar), Ed Carter (guitar, bass), Ron Altbach (keyboards), and Carlos Muñoz (keyboards). The setlists for these dates included the 15 Big Ones selections "Susie Cincinnati", "Palisades Park", "It's OK", "A Casual Look", "Back Home", and "Rock and Roll Music".

In his review of the Beach Boys' concert at Anaheim, Melody Maker reporter Harvey Kubernick wrote that Wilson "seemed uncomfortable on stage" and "shouldn't be subjected to being propped up on stage for video purposes or group/media examination. His contributions this afternoon were nil!" Following the tour, the Beach Boys played a further dozen concert dates at stadiums and basketball arenas, this time without Brian's participation.

Commercial performance and singles

15 Big Ones peaked at number 8 in the U.S., becoming their first top 10 album of new material since Pet Sounds, and their highest-charting studio album since Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (1965). It also became their second Warner Bros. release to be certified gold.

On May 24, 1976, lead single "Rock and Roll Music" (backed with "T M Song") was released as the band's first new single in 16 months, peaking in the U.S. at number 5, their highest chart position for a single since "Good Vibrations" (1966). The second single, "It's OK" (backed with "Had to Phone Ya"), was issued in the U.S. on August 30 and peaked at number 29. On November 8, the third and last single, "Susie Cincinnati" (backed with "Everyone's in Love with You") was issued in the U.S. and failed to chart.

Critical reception

15 Big Ones received mixed reviews and was largely disliked by the group's fanbase. Much of the criticism centers around the cover songs, Dennis' and Brian's rough vocal performances, and the record's perceived unfinished, forced, and rushed quality.

Among retrospective reviews, AllMusic's John Bush felt that most of the covers were "simply too well known to be reworked effectively, by anyone", but favorably compared "It's OK" and "Had to Phone Ya" to "Brian's odd pop songs on late-'60s albums like Friends and 20/20." Diken wrote, "One might also view the album as Brian's salvation from a goal-less downward spiral and an imminent crash landing."

Personnel

Credits taken from the album's liner notes.

The Beach Boys

  • Alan Jardine – lead (3, 8, 10–11) and backing vocals (all tracks), guitar (10)
  • Michael Love – lead (1–3, 5, 11–12) and backing vocals (all tracks), arranger (2, 5)
  • Brian Wilson – lead (3–4, 7, 13) and backing vocals (all tracks except 5), piano (1–4, 6–7, 9, 11, 14–15), organ (1–2, 6–9, 12–13, 15), Moog bass (1–2, 4, 6, 13–15), ARP synthesizer (1), ARP String Ensemble (4–5, 14–15), bass guitar (10), harmonica (10), chimes (12), bells (13), arranger (1–3, 6–15)
  • Carl Wilson – lead (3, 6, 9, 15) and backing vocals (1–3, 5–7, 9–15), guitars (2, 4–5, 10, 12–13), bass (5–6, 11), synthesizer (9), Jew's harp (13), percussion (13, 15)
  • Dennis Wilson – lead (3, 14) and backing vocals (1–3, 6, 10, 12, 14), drums (1–8, 11, 13–15), percussion (11), vibraphone (8)

Touring members

  • Ron Altbach – piano (5), harpsichord (5), accordion (7)
  • Ed Carter – guitar (1, 3, 5–8, 11, 15)
  • Billy Hinsche – guitar (1, 3, 6, 8, 11, 15)

Guests

  • Daryl Dragon – clavinet (10), vocal arrangement (5)
  • Dennis Dragon – drums (10)
  • Ricky Fataar – drums (2), percussion (15)
  • Bruce Johnston – backing vocals (10, 15), piano (12)
  • Charles Lloyd – flute (5)
  • Toni Tennille – backing vocals (5)
  • Marilyn Wilson – backing vocals (1–3, 7)
  • Roy Wood (credited as "Roy Wood and Wizzard") – saxophone (2)

Additional session musicians

  • Mike Altschul – saxophone (1, 4), clarinet (1)
  • Ben Benay – guitar (9)
  • Hal Blaine – drums (9, 12)
  • Jerry Cole – guitar (9)
  • Steve Douglas – saxophone (1, 3–9, 12), horns (11), flute (8)
  • Dennis Dreith – saxophone (1, 4), clarinet (1–3)
  • Tim Drummond – bass (7)
  • Gene Estes – percussion (6)
  • Carl L. Fortina – accordion (9, 12)
  • Jim Hughart – string bass (12)
  • Jules Jacobs – clarinet (2–3)
  • Plas Johnson – saxophone (9)
  • Jackie Kelso – saxophone (1, 4), clarinet (1)
  • Jack Nimitz – saxophone (1, 4), clarinet (1)
  • Jay Migliori – saxophone (5–8), horns (11), flute (8)
  • Carol Lee Miller – autoharp (1, 4)
  • Ray Pohlman – bass (9)
  • Lyle Ritz – bass (3, 9)
  • Bobby Shew – trumpet (3)
  • Tommy Tedesco – guitar (12)
  • Julius Wechter – percussion (9), bells (9, 12)
  • Maureen L. West – harp (5)

The Sid Sharp Strings (3, 6–7)

  • Murray Adler – violin (7)
  • Arnold Belnick – violin (3)
  • Henry Ferber – violin (3)
  • Lori Klass – violin (7)
  • Lou Klass – violin (6)
  • Bernard Kundell – violin (6)
  • William Kurasch – violin (7)
  • James Getzoff – violin (6)
  • Henry L. Roth – violin (6)
  • Sidney Sharp – violin (3, 7)
  • Tibor Zelig – violin (7)

Technical

  • Dean Torrence and Jim Evans – album cover, art direction and logo

Charts

{|class="wikitable"

|-

!Chart (1976)

!Peak<br />position

|-

| UK Top 40 Album Chart

| style="text-align:center;"|31

|-

| US Billboard Top LPs & Tape

| style="text-align:center;"|8

|}

Notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading

  • 15 Big Ones on YouTube
  • (documentary excerpt)