Synonymous with the concepts behind "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Good Vibrations" and "California Girls," the Beach Boys have made an indelible mark on the musical landscape. In various incarnations, they've entertained audiences for more than 40 years and have long been considered "America's Band." So they're a natural fit for PBS' A Capitol Fourth, the annual Independence Day concert from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, which marks its 25th anniversary on Monday.
Quite
unnatural was what happened in 1983, when they were scheduled for the concert, only to be banned by then Secretary of the Interior
James Watt, who decreed that rock bands "attract the wrong element" (
Wayne Newton replaced them). The public outcry included the voices of some very powerful people.
Mike Love, the only original member still performing under the group name, recalls how he found out.
"We were on tour, and I was awakened one morning by a radio station asking
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