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'Good Music': The song that saw JOAN JETT try to recreate The Beach Boys
from: faroutmagazine.co.uk
By Elle Palmer | Photo by Alamy
Many have tried and failed to recreate The Beach Boys. The Californian surfers have been emulated in countless covers of 'God Only Knows' and in every generation of pop since the 1960s. But beyond taking inspiration from their heavenly harmonies and their innovative production techniques, JOAN JETT once successfully reunited The Beach Boys in the studio for a song titled 'Good Music'.
After spending the early part of the decade crafting hits like 'Surfin' U.S.A', Brian Wilson became overwhelmed by the pressures of fame, and his mental health began to suffer. Between a regretful introduction to LSD, internal lawsuits, and several commercial failures, Wilson began to gradually withdraw. By the 1980s, the relationships within the band seemed fractured, or so thought writer and producer KENNY LAGUNA.
In the mid-1980s, Laguna was working with JOAN JETT on the title track for her fifth studio record, Good Music. Over characteristically rocking guitars, Jett's distinctive voice declares: "It always feels so good to hear good music." Behind her words, the subtle but instantly recognisable harmonies of The Beach Boys can be heard. Their presence only increases throughout 'Good Music' - as it draws to a close, their characteristic "oohs" cut through recognisable twangy guitars.
"We wanted The Beach Boys," Laguna told Songfacts, but they were under the impression that the band were not all willing to be in the same room together. Instead of attempting to recruit them all, Laguna asked Carl Wilson to play guitar in the second verse of the song. He brought Bruce Johnson with him, which invoked envy in Mike Love.
"I'd been told by their agent that if you try to get all The Beach Boys, they will not be in the same room together," Laguna recalled, "They don't even make their records in the studio together." But hearing that two of his bandmates were in the studio with Jett, Love implored his tour manager to give Laguna a call.
"Their tour manager calls me in the studio and says, 'Mike [Love] is feeling left out," Laguna explained, "He's wondering why you didn't invite him.' I told him the story, that I heard if I invite all of them, nobody will come. So the next thing I know, all The Beach Boys are showing up." With Johnson, Love, Wison, and even Darlene Love all on side, it seemed that Jett and Laguna had achieved their goal.
Laguna even recalled Johnson telling them, "We're going to show you how to make a Beach Boys record," but the result was more than just a Beach Boys record - together, they carved out a track that balances Jett's characteristic rock and roll vocals with The Beach Boys' beautiful harmonies. |
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