Dean Torrence
PMP Network Presents
Dean Torrence, one half of the iconic surf rock duo Jan & Dean, reflects on the group's early doo-wop phase and their transition to multi-track recording. He shares insights into the creative process and the significance of vocal harmonies in their music.
Dean Torrence
About Dean Torrence
Dean Torrence, born March 10, 1940, co-founded the surf rock duo Jan & Dean with Jan Berry in 1957. The duo achieved major success with hits including "Surf City" (1963), the first surf song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Dead Man's Curve" (1964). Beyond music, Torrence founded Kittyhawk Graphics, designing album covers for the Beach Boys, Chicago, and others, earning a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover in 1972.
In this interview
- Reflects on Jan & Dean's early doo-wop phase as fresh and innocent.
- Discusses preference for singing harmony parts with multiple voices over just two.
- Explains how multi-track recording technology allowed duo to sing all background vocals themselves.
- Credits vocal harmonies as key to the Beach Boys' success.
“For harmonies, nothing better than sitting around singing with a bunch of fairly good singers.”— Dean Torrence, in this interview
