Everybody Had an Ocean

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An indispensable account of a time of beauty and terror, this social history explores the vibrant yet tumultuous music scene of Los Angeles in the 1960s. The era produced iconic rock 'n' roll hits like "California Dreamin'" and "Good Vibrations," capturing the joy and beauty of the time. However, beneath the surface of this musical paradise lay a darker reality, where naive musicians often fell prey to opportunistic hangers-on, all amidst a backdrop of sex, drugs, and the quest for overnight fame. The narrative reveals chilling stories, such as a surf music star unknowingly funding the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr., and the mysterious death of Bobby Fuller, suspected to be linked to the Mob. Neil Young's recommendation of Charles Manson to a record executive, followed by Manson's rejection and the subsequent infamous murders, underscores the era's volatility. Chronicling the migration of the rock 'n' roll industry to Southern California, the book features an astonishing cast of characters, including the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Phil Spector, Cass Elliot, and Joni Mitchell. Their intertwined tales illustrate the epic struggle between innocence and cynicism, joy and terror, forever altering how we perceive that beautiful music.