Keepin' the Summer Alive

After the band's previous album, L.A. (Light Album) (1979), failed to live up to commercial expectations, the executives at CBS expected another album as soon as possible.[4] In July 1979, the Beach Boys convened at Western Studio in Los Angeles—the studio where most of the band's 1960s material had been produced by Brian Wilson—to begin work on a new studio album. The album was also recorded at various other studios, including former backing band member Daryl Dragon's Rumbo Recorders in San Fernando, and Al Jardine's recording studio in his Big Sur barn. Working titles included Cousins, Friends and Brothers, and Can't Wait Till Summer.[3]

The group wanted Brian to return as their producer and felt that he would be more comfortable recording at the familiar studio environment of Western. They were briefly successful, as Carl Wilson said, "Brian got hot for about three days in the studio. He was singing like a bird. All the protection he usually runs just dropped; he came out of himself, he was right there in the room."[4] Dennis Wilson, at odds with the rest of the group, abandoned the initial recording sessions, taking no further part in the album. The sessions were also stalled by Brian's desire to record only cover songs of rock n' roll tracks. One of these, Chuck Berry's "School Days", appears on the album's final track listing.[3]

In late August, Carl collaborated with Randy Bachman on the writing of four songs, two of which were included on the record, "Keepin' the Summer Alive" and "Livin' with a Heartache". Bachman declined an invitation to co-produce the album because he was struggling with personal issues.[3] He later released his own version of "Keepin' the Summer Alive" with his short-lived band Union on their eponymous 1980 album.

In October 1979, the band reconvened with Bruce Johnston taking complete control of the album's production. The resulting album included a mixture of brand new songs alongside older songs that had not been released up until that point.[3] "When Girls Get Together" was recorded in 1969, and it is the only song on the album featuring Dennis. Johnston started writing "Endless Harmony" in 1972 as "Ten Years' Harmony". The earlier title and lyrics were used for a version by California Music in 1974. The band began recording "Santa Ana Winds" in 1978, revising and re-recording some of the song for this album. Sessions wrapped on February 14, 1980.[3] Two outtakes, the original "Goin' to the Beach" and a cover of "Da Doo Ron Ron", were later released on the 2013 compilation Made in California.[5]

In 2013, Johnston expressed dissatisfaction with the production of the title track, which he perceived as being weaker-sounding due to Carl's intervention.[5] In 2020, Johnston elaborated, believing session guest and former bandmate Ricky Fataar’s drumming was inferior to session drummer Scott Mathews’ playing.[1]

Still-unreleased tracks from the Keepin' the Summer Alive sessions include "Starbaby" and "Surfer Suzie", as well as renditions of "I'll Always Love You", "Jamaica Farewell", "Johnny B. Goode", "Little Girl", "Stranded in the Jungle", and "Smokey Places".[6]

Retrospective professional reviews

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Blender	[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[9]
MusicHound	2/5[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[11]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Rob Theakston referred to Keepin' the Summer Alive as "the low point" in the band's discography: "Ripe with mindless throwaways and lifeless filler ... The two exceptions to the rule reside in the title track and the closing 'Endless Harmony.'"[7] In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), the album is cited as an "abysmal" entry in "a string of inconsequential records" that had not abated since 1978's M.I.U. Album.[11]

Adapted from 2000 liner notes[3] and Craig Slowinski.[1]

The Beach Boys

• Brian Wilson – vocals, tack piano on “Oh Darlin’” and “Goin’ On”, keyboards on “Sunshine”, piano and Rocksichord on “When Girls Get Together”
• Carl Wilson – vocals, lead guitar on “Keepin’ the Summer Alive”, guitar on “Oh Darlin’” and “Livin’ With a Heartache”, tack piano on “Keepin’ the Summer Alive”, Yamaha electric piano on “Livin’ With a Heartache”, keyboards on “Sunshine”
• Al Jardine – vocals, acoustic guitars and spoken word introduction on “Santa Ana Winds”; rhythm guitar on “School Day” (uncertain)
• Mike Love – vocals
• Bruce Johnston – vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano, clavichord on “School Day”, keyboards on “Sunshine”
• Dennis Wilson – bass drum on “When Girls Get Together”

Additional musicians

Arrangements

• Bob Alcivar – horn arrangements
• Harry Betts – string arrangements

Technical personnel

• Bruce Johnston – producer (except “When Girls Get Together”)
• Brian Wilson – producer (“School Day”, “When Girls Get Together”, “Santa Ana Winds”)
• Al Jardine – producer (“School Day” and “Santa Ana Winds”)
• Carl Wilson – producer (“Keepin’ the Summer Alive” and “Livin’ with a Heartache”)
• Steve Desper – chief engineer, mixing
• Chuck Leary – engineer (“Santa Ana Winds”)
• Chuck Britz – engineer (“Oh Darlin’”, “School Day”, “Santa Ana Winds”)
• Rodney Pearson – engineer
• Brian Behrns – second engineer

Artwork

• John Alvin – illustration
• Tony Lane – art direction
• Gary Nichamin – photography

• People staff (May 12, 1980). "Picks and Pans Review: Keepin' the Summer Alive". People. Retrieved November 28, 2017.

• Keepin' the Summer Alive at Discogs (list of releases)