The New Beach Boys Documentary on Disney+ Will Tell the Band’s Definitive Story
Over the last couple of years, Disney+ has become the definitive home of music documentaries and concert films.
Following in the success of Taylor Swift: The Era Tour (Taylor’s Version), Black is King: a Film by Beyonce, and The Beatles: Let It Be, a new documentary about The Beach Boys from filmmaker Frank Marshall will debut tomorrow on the streaming surface.


Photo: IMDb
The California Sound
While the Beach Boys would eventually become the definitive American band of the 1960s, creating a sound that would become synonymous with California, the group started as a family band comprised of brothers Carl, Dennis, and Brian Wilson, along with their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine.


Photo: Cheat Sheet
“The challenge was there were so many stories to tell, and I wanted to give them equal weight and time,” Marshall says. “The Beach Boys is a combination and a collaboration, and no singular part on its own tells the story. So, that was a challenge. How do I tell the story? There’s the family unit, but then certain members also come in and out.”
For Marshall, the project was particularly personal, as the producer grew up in Newport Beach, California, playing music and being surrounded by surf culture.


Photo: The Beach Boys
“I was a surfer when I was in high school, and I also was in a little band,” Marshall says. “My dad taught me guitar, and so we played surf music, but it was all instrumental. Then along came these guys who added lyrics and harmonies to surf music. I’m now in a fortunate position where I can go on a journey of discovery and origin to see how this all happened. What made them tick?”
A Complicated History
As the Beach Boys reached the pinnacle of their success, Brian Williams became increasingly withdrawn and eventually chose not to accompany the band on tour. That decision not only led to new touring members joining the band, but it also freed Wilson up to focus on the studio.


Photo: The Beach Boys
“Brian didn’t have the pressure of touring, so he could create these incredible melodies and songs. Then Mike would come in and write the lyrics, and then all the other guys would come back and sing their parts. And that’s what makes The Beach Boys unique.”


Photo: Disney+
“It was a real drag when Brian left in November of ’64,” Love recalls. “But the good news was Glen Campbell took his place for a few months before Bruce Johnston took Glen’s place. Without Brian retiring from the touring group, he wouldn’t have had the time to devote to three albums within a year’s time: the Beach Boys’ Party! album, which included ‘Barbara Ann;’ the Pet Sounds album, which came out in the middle of the year; and “Good Vibrations,” which came out in the autumn and went to No. 1 in the U.S. and in the UK.”
The Definitive Story
Over the last six decades, the Beach Boys have become legendary, not only for their music but for their tumultuous history. According to Love, the band’s full story has yet to be told.
“People who think it was all fun and games will realize there was some sadness, too. But in spite of that, the music survives, and we’re all thriving,” Love says.


Photo: Also Disney
“We’ve been part of creating those good vibrations for many years. We’re blessed to have done that, and we’re blessed to have this documentary on Disney+.”
The Beach Boys will stream on March 24, exclusively on Disney+.
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