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The West Coast Sound most commonly refers to a music aesthetic originating from Southern California in the early 1960s, also known as the California Sound. It is characterised by themes of beach culture, surfing, hot rod culture, and youthful innocence. However, there is also a West Coast Sound of Holland, which emerged in the late 1980s to early 1990s in The Hague, combining 80s hip-hop, electro, Italo music, and Detroit techno.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | The California sound originated with American pop and rock recording artists from Southern California in the early 1960s. |
| Musical Context | A combination of older rock verities set in new lyrical and musical contexts. |
| Musical Themes | Surfing, hot rod culture, and youthful innocence. |
| Mood | Wide-eyed, sunny optimism. |
| Imagery | Beach culture, the outdoors, cars, sunshine, and the society of California. |
| Artists | The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Dick Dale, Bruce Johnston, Terry Melcher, Rip Chords, Brian Wilson, Curt Boettcher, the Byrds, Barry McGuire, and the Mamas & the Papas. |
| Decline | The California sound declined by the end of the 1960s due to cultural shifts and was kept fresh in the 1970s by singer-songwriters like Lowell George, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, and Rickie Lee Jones. |
| Revival | The California sound was revived in the 2010s by bands such as Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, and Wavves. |
| The Hague's West Coast Sound | A mixture of 80s hip-hop, electro, synthy Italo music, and Detroit techno. |
| Nature | A DIY movement using analogue equipment, reflecting urban life and underground parties. |
| Artists | I-F, DJ TLR. |
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What You'll Learn
The Beach Boys
The California Sound gradually evolved to reflect a more musically ambitious and mature worldview, becoming less about surfing and cars and more about social consciousness and political awareness. Between 1964 and 1969, it fuelled innovation and transition, inspiring artists to tackle themes such as sexual freedom, black pride, drugs, and oppositional politics. The Beach Boys' album Pet Sounds, released in 1966, is a notable example of this evolution. It featured orchestral arrangements, autobiographical lyrics, and a departure from simplistic love motifs.
By the end of the 1960s, the California Sound went into decline due to cultural shifts on the West Coast, the psychological issues of key artists like Brian Wilson, and the association with the Manson murders. However, the spirit of the California Sound was kept alive in the 1970s by singer-songwriters like Lowell George, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, and Rickie Lee Jones.
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The California myth
The California Sound is a popular music aesthetic that originated with American pop and rock artists from Southern California in the early 1960s. It was initially associated with the California myth, a fantasy of idyllic beaches, surfing, hot rods, and youthful innocence. This myth was encapsulated by the Beach Boys, who are credited with instigating the California Sound with their 1961 debut single "Surfin'".
However, by the end of the 1960s, the California Sound began to decline due to cultural shifts and the psychological struggles of key figures like Brian Wilson, whose associations with the Manson murders cast a dark shadow over the once-sunny image of the California myth. As Wilson himself noted, the myth was not just about surfing but also about the unique society and way of life in California, a society that was undergoing significant changes and revelations during this time.
Despite its decline, the California Sound and the California myth continued to influence music and culture. In the 1970s, singer-songwriters like Lowell George, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, and Rickie Lee Jones kept the spirit of the California Sound alive while moving beyond its clichés. Additionally, the California Sound evolved and expanded beyond its original geography, influencing music in other parts of the state, such as the San Francisco Sound and the Bakersfield Sound.
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Surf music
The second form is vocal surf, which took elements of the original surf sound and added vocal harmonies. This style was led by the Beach Boys, who, along with Jan and Dean, encapsulated surfing, hot rod culture, and youthful innocence within their music, transforming a local lifestyle into American mythology.
The California sound, sometimes referred to interchangeably with surf music, originated with American pop and rock recording artists from Southern California in the early 1960s. It was initially associated with an idyllic setting inspired by the state's beach culture, but later expanded outside its initial geography and subject matter, becoming more sophisticated and featuring studio experimentation.
The Beach Boys' surf music was not entirely of their own invention, as they were preceded by artists such as Dick Dale. However, previous surf musicians did not project a worldview in the same way that the Beach Boys did. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys once said: "It's not just the surfing; it's the outdoors and cars and sunshine; it's the society of California; it's the way of California."
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West Coast Jazz
The West Coast Jazz sound is often associated with musicians such as Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Shorty Rogers, Dave Brubeck, and Paul Desmond. These musicians were known for their experimentation with different ensemble sizes, such as octets and nonets, and their use of unconventional instruments like the French horn and tuba, or the exclusion of traditional chordal instruments like the piano or guitar.
Some notable examples of West Coast Jazz recordings include Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker's 1952 piano-less quartet, which featured blended harmonies and contrapuntal improvisation, and "Ginza Samba" from 1958, which featured some of the greatest West Coast players, including Cal Tjader on vibes and Stan Getz on tenor.
The relaxed lifestyle of California is said to have influenced the laid-back approach to jazz in the region. Critics of West Coast Jazz argued that the music lacked swing, and some looked down upon it because many of its musicians were white. However, recordings like "Ginza Samba" debunk the notion that West Coast Jazz lacked swing.
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The Hague's West Coast Sound
The West Coast Sound of The Hague, Holland, emerged in the late 1980s to early 1990s as an alternative to the UK's free party acid house movement. It is a fusion of three musical genres: 80s hip-hop-infused electro, synthy Italo music, and the DIY spirit of Detroit techno. This sound is characterised by a distorted wave of beaming pipe synths, acid lines, and tripped-out drum sounds. It is a DIY movement, predominantly produced using analogue equipment, away from the big-time studios.
The Hague, in South Holland, is the largest city on the Western edge of the Netherlands. It is an unlikely hub for this sound, given its status as a political centre, home to the embassies of superpowers and the UN's International Court of Justice. However, beyond the city lies the North Sea, and the remnants of the Atlantic Wall, a defence system from World War II. The record label Bunker Records draws inspiration from these bunkers, reflecting the sound's gritty, underground nature.
The West Coast Sound of The Hague has its roots in the region's rave scene, which attracted British people with its labour opportunities and wild squat parties. It is a reaction to the high-gloss superclubs that emerged in the UK due to the Criminal Justice Bill of 1994, which restricted free parties. This sound provided a grittier, underground alternative to the mainstream.
The West Coast Sound of The Hague has spawned well-known labels such as I-F's Viewlexx and Murder Capital, and DJ TLR's Crème Organization, spreading its influence beyond its origins in South Holland.
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Frequently asked questions
The West Coast Sound refers to two different genres. The first is a popular music aesthetic that originates with American pop and rock recording artists from Southern California in the early 1960s. It is also known as the California Sound. The second genre originated in The Hague, South Holland, in the late 1980s and combines 80s hip-hop, electro, synthy Italo music, and Detroit techno.
The California Sound was originally associated with the California myth, an idyllic setting inspired by the state's beach culture. It was also influenced by hot rod culture and youthful innocence. The Beach Boys are credited with instigating the California Sound with their debut single "Surfin'" in 1961.
The West Coast Sound of Holland is a DIY movement that combines 80s hip-hop, electro, synthy Italo music, and Detroit techno. It is known for its use of broken analogue equipment and has been described as "noisy" and "unsettled".
