Steve Matteo surveys 2025’s best rock books on the West Coast rock scene, sharing praise for Cameron Crowe, David Leaf and Jude Warne.

They dealt with internal strife, drugs and health issues but nothing could keep the Beach Boys – and Brian Wilson – from the pantheon of pop music gods.

Bono, Chris Blackwell, Bob Dylan and Richard Barone are among those who made Steve Matteo’s list of Best of 2023 Rock Books.

Released 50 years ago, “Sail On, Sailor” was a highlight of a Beach Boys era marked by seismic change, both musically and visually. It wouldn’t last.

Here’s what we’ll be packing way in the back of our luggage – way, way in the back – before our fateful seafaring journey.

‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ arrived 45 years ago today as a rare spotlight for the Beach Boys’ craggy-voiced bad boy Dennis Wilson.

Here are the ’60s classic-rock records we simply couldn’t live without if something went wrong on our three-hour tour … our three-hour tour …

Ten years ago, the Beach Boys returned with the triumphant ‘That’s Why God Made the Radio,’ finally expanding upon their own dashed aspirations.

‘Sunflower’ was the Beach Boys being a band for one last moment in their eternal endless summer.

This is as close as we’re apparently going to get to what should have happened in 2013, after the Beach Boys’ reunion tour with Brian Wilson.