David Leaf

Author and filmmaker David Leaf didn’t coin the slogan “Brian Wilson is a genius,” but he has devoted his career to spreading the word about the eccentric composer’s singular musical gifts.

In the first version of this book, The Beach Boys and the California Myth (1978), Leaf explored the history of the band, with special emphasis on the recording of Pet Sounds and the demise of SMiLE, the legendary album that was supposed to be Wilson’s masterpiece. If memory serves (for several show more years, the 1978 book was a go-to read for me), Leaf blamed the collapse of SMiLE in large measure on BB lead singer Mike Love’s disapproval of the project. In Leaf’s estimation, Wilson ached to express his spiritual and artistic vision, while Love, representing the BB payroll, crassly demanded a more commercial approach. Love has disputed this characterization.

In this updated and retitled edition, Leaf revisits the 1978 text and brings Wilson’s story up to 2022 (Wilson passed away in 2025, just before his 83rd birthday). There’s a lot less about Mike Love this time around; I suspect that the section that ostensibly reproduces the original 1978 text has been scrubbed to mend fences between Leaf and Love.

This edition’s new material includes a detailed look at Wilson’s solo career and descriptions of the many tributes and events that have been held in his honor. The relentless name dropping in the later sections is nerve wracking. Moreover, Leaf and his late wife Eva were close friends of Wilson and his late wife, Melinda, and Leaf reports on seemingly everything the two couples did together. In some ways, the new narrative reveals more about Leaf than about Wilson.

At over 400 pages, including multiple introductions by various musical luminaries, this book could have been greatly condensed. Leaf’s habit of telling the reader to “google it” or to check Wikipedia is annoying as well.

The original 1978 text was a lot more concise and also a lot more fun. show less

This is the umteenth time I've read this book. As a huge KISS fan, I didn't think I'd get much out of it considering I'd bought KISSTORY, the $150 coffee table book put out back in the 90s that was supposed to have detailed the history of the band. And it did...but only from two primary perspectives--those of founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. "KISS: Behind the Mask" takes place in three parts. The first does better what KISSTORY should have done as it is a biography that never show more got released in the late 70s/early 80s. It details the lives of all four original members including Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley. The latter two were most interesting if only because there's little out there about them.

The second part is actually quite redundant as it's culled from interviews from band members (which is repetitive from the first part in many ways) as well as managers, road crew, and other peers of the time. The interview topics appear in chronological order.

It's the third part of the book that's most interesting. "Speaking in Tongues" recounts virtually every song the band has released (up through 1998's KISS' "reunion" album "Psycho Circus"). The band themselves, managers, producers, other musicians, and co-writers all chime in on each song. What's amazing to me is how many times the band poo-poos the sound of the albums. They often lament how their demos were much more raw and powerful. My reaction is "Why the hell did you let producers and engineers muck it up, then?!" I don't know anything about the process of creating an album, but as professional as Stanley and Simmons are, I'm surprised how often they gave the reigns of an album to someone else, then didn't correct problems before the album was released.

If you're a KISS fan, you'll enjoy the book...even if you know much of its contents. If you're not a KISS fan, why are you even reading this review?! show less

A great book telling the tale of the Hottest Band in the World! There are many things that I did not know contained within these pages. Kiss has always been heroes of mine and it was a little painful to hear the bickering and fighting going on backstage. No one wants to know that their heroes are real flesh and blood! One thing I would like to have read was more comments by Ace and Peter. I also wished that it had more quotes from Eric Carr. Over all an enlightening story of one of the most show more influential rock bands of all time. show less