{Photo: Eric Breslow}[California Saga. Bottom: Wendy Wilson, Carnie Wilson, Ambha Love. Middle: Justyn Wilson. Top: Carl B. Wilson, Christian Love, Matt Jardine, Adam Jardine.]
This year is proving to be pure heaven for diehard fans of pop icons the Beach Boys. Not only has the band released a new album and is touring with original frontman Brian Wilson for the first time in decades--the second generation of the group is now continuing the story.
Yep--we're talking about the kids of the Beach Boys, who have joined together and started their own tribute band, California Saga. Every member of the original lineup is represented by a respective child or two: Brian Wilson by daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, Mike Love by son and daughter Christian and Ambha Love, the late Carl Wilson by son Justyn Wilson, the late Dennis Wilson by son Carl B. Wilson, and Al Jardine by sons Matt and Adam Jardine.
The kids range in age from 16-year-old Ambha all the way up to the mid-40s.
The lineup also includes Carl Wilson's brother-in-law Billy Hinsche, who has toured with the Beach Boys in the past.
The "offspring" group, which originated earlier this year as an idea hatched in honor of the Beach Boys' 50th anniversary, plans to focus on lesser-known songs from the Beach Boys catalog, rather than the hits. Carnie Wilson told the Ventura County Star in May that the music they've been working on is "stunning" and "complex"; and that getting the harmonies just right constituted a tremendous amount of effort.
"It's worth it because we're not just getting up there because we're 'the children of...,'" she noted. "We're celebrating these songs that we love."
California Saga made its live debut at beginning of June, opening up for the Beach Boys at Los Angeles's Hollywood Bowl. They'll be performing with them again on Tuesday at L.A.'s Grammy Museum.
This isn't the first time scions of the Beach Boys have made their way onto a stage in a family-style setting. Carnie and Wendy Wilson performed for years with Al Jardine and his kids under the billing "Beach Boys Family & Friends."
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