Students to study Beach Boys

Growing up, Jacobs School of Music lecturer Andy Hollinden was never a fan of the Beach Boys.

“The Beach Boys weren’t very hip during the late ’60s and early ’70s,” Hollinden said, adding that the music of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart was more his style.

But this fall,  Hollinden and his students will spend about four hours each week with the Beach Boys in MUS-Z320: Music of The Beach Boys, new to IU this semester.
The class will chronologically survey the band’s 50 years of music while exploring the music’s context, which was what changed Hollinden’s mind about the band later in life.

“I would say that they’re probably America’s greatest band,” Hollinden said. “It’s that simple.”

Hollinden said he attributes the band’s greatness to its “other-worldly” harmonies and its longevity.

This summer, all surviving original Beach Boys toured for their 50th anniversary, and Hollinden said he attended their Cincinnati concert without “super high” expectations.

“I felt a sense of obligation to go because I thought it would be heartwarming,” he said. “I was unprepared for how great it would be. It was without a doubt one of the best music events I’ve ever witnessed.”

Hollinden said his other music history classes, which include MUS-Z301: Rock Music in the 70s and 80s, MUS-Z385: History of the Blues and  MUS-Z403: The Music of Jimi Hendrix, have been popular among students.

“It’s a way to get some arts and humanities credits and study something that they’re interested in that pertains to their day-to-day lives,” he said.

Senior psychology major Rory Derryberry said he enjoyed Hollinden’s class about Frank Zappa, which partly influenced his decision to enroll in the new course.

“I’ve always enjoyed their music,” Derryberry said of the Beach Boys, adding that he finds leader Brian Wilson’s story to be an interesting one.

Derryberry said he believes the rock ’n’ roll history classes at the Jacobs School are popular simply because “they’re fun courses, especially with the classic rock.”

“So many people listen to it, and it’s part of our history,” he said. “It’s cool that IU offers that.”

In addition to the historical aspect of the Beach Boys class and similar courses,

Hollinden said they enable students to improve listening skills and increase appreciation for songwriting and production.

“Most people don’t have the proper context of the music they listen to,” he said, adding that he has been interested in music for quite some time. “It took me decades to realize how little I knew, that I had barely scraped the tip of the iceberg.”

Seats are still open. Students may drop or add courses through the first week of classes on OneStart.