The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are era-defining musicians who profoundly shaped and influenced pop culture in the 1960s. Paul McCartney publicly acknowledged The Beach Boys’ 1966 masterpiece, Pet Sounds, as the primary impetus behind The Beatles' 1967 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. This exhibit features classic images of the legendary group performing live and in the studio, and outtakes from classic album shoots, like Pet Sounds. Many of these images were taken by Capitol’s staff photographers and confined to the label’s archives until now. 

The collection not only celebrates The Beach Boys’ enduring legacy, but also shines a light on some brilliant photographers who shot the group early on, capturing The Beach Boys’ superstar essence. The exhibit will showcase images by Ken Veeder, head of Capitol Records’ Photography Department in the 60s, who shot The Beach Boys’ historic ‘Paradise Cove’ photo series; the legendary Earl Leaf, who travelled to Europe with the band and for whom they recorded ‘Bull Session with the “Big Daddy”’; Guy Webster, who also shot The Rolling Stones, The Mamas & the Papas, Barbra Streisand, Jack Nicholson, and more; and former TIME magazine photographer Julian Wasser, who covered the band’s legendary concerts at the iconic Hollywood Bowl.

“We are thrilled to debut our Beach Boys fine-art photography collection in the UK with Iconic Images Gallery and Genesis Publications. We had the good fortune to work with iconic image makers like Ken Veeder, Guy Webster, Julian Wasser, Earl Leaf and more, capturing our career highlights and intimate moments. Together, these compositions wholeheartedly display the fun-spirited, good vibrations of The Beach Boys.” - The Beach Boys