Beach Boys Periodicals: Past and Present by Peter Reum

Through the years, there have been a number of publications that have documented the complicated and convoluted world of The Beach Boys and their music. Personally, I have been involved in over 20 books, 10 television programs, and numerous albums covering various aspects of The Beach Boys' music and their lives. Various periodicals have come and gone. Many of them are invaluable and capture the times and events that occurred as they happened. Periodicals such as Dumb Angel Gazette, Add Some Music, California Music, and the wonderful Beach Boys Stomp Magazine. The "go to" periodical for the last half of The Beach Boys' career of more than 50 years has been Endless Summer Quarterly (ESQ). 

ESQ began as a fan magazine published in California in 1987, founded by Rick Edgil and Phil Mast. It was a new voice in a crowded group of fanzines. Eventually, one by one, the various fanzines faded away, and The Beach Boys Freaks United Newsletter and Endless Summer Quarterly were the two USA periodicals left who were dedicated to The Beach Boys. Endless Summer Quarterly changed ownership, with the purchase of the magazine being a shot in the arm to ESQ's future. In 1993, Lee Dempsey and David Beard took over the publication of ESQ, and a new and rigorous approach to the music of The Beach Boys began. Eschewing the drama that has plagued The Beach Boys for most of their career, Lee and David chose to ignore the controversies and plunged into the musical history of The Beach Boys and related artists instead.

Through the years, Lee became busier in his work life, and chose to focus on the financial management of ESQ, and resigned his editorial role, leaving content of the magazine to David. Under David's editorship, ESQ has gained the trust of The Beach Boys, and in turn, they have discussed their music with David in detail that is unprecedented. ESQ has devoted its content to the recording history of the Beach Boys, and has covered contemporary musical projects by the group and its members better than anyone. Recently, ESQ has begun a look back to the creation of each of The Beach Boys' albums with interviews of Brian, Mike, Alan, Bruce, and other important players who contributed to the recording of the music itself. To say that this is important would be an understatement. The interviews that have been conducted are first hand accounts of what happened in those studios as the music was being recorded.

The Beach Boys world has always been a political quagmire, and somehow, David and Lee have been able to avoid being stuck. This has been a tremendous accomplishment, and the fact that all of The Beach Boys are willing to sit down for awhile and talk about their current projects or past recorded work is amazing. I want to support Endless Summer Quarterly and their work because it is the best source of information about The Beach Boys, their music, and related artists. I hope that you will consider subscribing to this fine magazine, and for those of you overseas, they have reasonable rates for you as well. You will not regret subscribing. I will be writing some articles for them this year, and hope you will take time to read them.  I would especially encourage Beach Boys followers outside of the USA to subscribe to ESQ. You can find out more at  www.esquarterly.com.