Dead Man´s Curve - The Life of Jan & Dean

Jan Berry, leader of the music duo Jan & Dean from the late 1950s to mid-1960s, was an intense character who experienced more in his first 25 years than many do in a lifetime. As an architect of the West Coast sound, he was one of rock ‘n’ roll’s original rebels—brilliant, charismatic, reckless, and flawed. As a songwriter, music arranger, and record producer for Nevin-Kirshner Associates and Screen Gems-Columbia Music, Berry was one of the pioneering self-produced artists of his era in Hollywood. He lived a dual life, reaching the top of the charts with Jan & Dean while transitioning from college student to medical student, until an automobile accident ended his seemingly charmed existence in 1966. Suffering from brain damage and partial paralysis, Jan spent the rest of his life trying to come back from Dead Man’s Curve.

His story is told here in-depth for the first time, based on extensive primary source documentation and supplemented by the stories and memories of Jan’s family members, friends, music industry colleagues, and contemporaries. From the birth of rock to the bitter end, Berry’s life story is thrilling, humorous, unsettling, and disturbing, yet ultimately uplifting.

Ich habe die 463 Seiten jetzt einmal durchgelesen und finde das Buch sehr informativ, weil der Autor Mark A. Moore offensichtlich Zugang zu diversen Original Dokumenten hatte. Neu für mich war u.a. die Information, daß
Roger Christian behauptet hatte, an „SURF CITY“ mitgearbeitet zu haben.
Er habe JAN BERRY eine Text namens „SURFIN´ Woodie“ gegeben, den Jan mit zwei oder drei Worten abgeändert hat und daraus ist dann SURF CITY geworden.
Jan hat in den sechziger Jahren viermal soviel verdient wie Dean, aber er hat auch viermal soviel gearbeitet wie er, wird Dean zitiert. Nach seiner Rückkehr ins Musikgeschäft habe er 50 bis 100 Mal soviel verdient wie mit seinem Grafik Unternehmen Kittyhawk, erzählte Dean dem Autor. (Jan soll nach seinem Unfall zirka 1 Millionen verdient haben, die er hauptsächlich für Drogen und ein Haus ausgegeben hat ??? Ab Anfang der achtziger Jahre soll er dann wieder clean gewesen sein.
Nach seinem Unfall am 12.4.1966 wurde sein IQ mit 60-72 angegeben (ich hatte mal die Zahl 40 gelesen).
Hier eine kurze Abschrift von Seite 463:
„ Jan´s legacy is secure as a writer, arranger, and producer of some oft he most iconic music oft he early 1960s – a pioneer oft he West Coast Sound – and he will always be remembered as one of rock´n ´ roll´s oroginal anrchists. He was well respected by industry peers and the music is timeless“.

“DEADMAN’S CURVE” – the soundtrack to the Jan & Dean documentary feat. Papa Doo Run Run

PAPA DOO RUN RUN is a group of competent musicians who have been playing Surf and instrumental music since 1965. They are known for their excellent cover versions and have been supporting various Beach Boys on their solo excursions. In 1977 the band was chosen to supply the music to the Jan & Dean documentary “Dead Man’s Curve”. Dean Torrence was featured as vocalist as well. The soundtrack was never released. Later the - after his car accident - handicapped Jan Berry added some vocals to the songs, and the music was finally pressed in a very limited quantity for some fans. The label said ‘promotional copy - not for sale’. To this day this longplayer is a must for all Jan & Dean fans, as it also marked the reunion of the once famous Surf duo.

You might also be interested in Mark A. Moore’s Book “Dead Man’s Curve – The Rock ‘n’ Roll life of Jan Berry” (510 pages, McFarland & Company, Jefferson 2021, ISBN 978-1-4766-7210-6). It’s expensive to buy, though.