Jules Siegel (October 21, 1935 – November 17, 2012) was a novelist, journalist, and graphic designer who is best known as one of the earliest writers to treat rock music as a serious art, although his writings about rock constituted only a small part of his total output. His work appeared over the years in Playboy, Best American Short Stories, Library of America's Writing Los Angeles, and many other publications. He occasionally contributed book reviews to the San Francisco Chronicle, and he administered newsroom-l, an email discussion list for journalists. His articles about Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Thomas Pynchon and other prominent Americans were primary (and often unique) sources of information based on his personal acquaintance and extensive direct interviews with the subjects. "Goodbye Surfing, Hello God!" has been anthologized several times and is used as a primary source in every book about Brian Wilson's struggle to complete Smile, his "teenage symphony to God." Background Siegel attended Cornell University with Pynchon during the 1953–54 term and graduated from Hunter College with a degree in English and philosophy in 1959. He was involved in politics, working for both the Nixon and Kennedy campaigns. He began working as a journalist in 1964. In 1966, he published a piece about Bob Dylan for The Saturday Evening Post. According to Siegel, the article helped establish his credentials on the Sunset Strip, "which is about the only place that sort of thing counted then. ... My taking rock music seriously was considered one of my little quirks." Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin wrote that Siegel caught an interest in the Beach Boys and their increasingly sophisticated music after Pynchon recommended their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Conversely, in a 1977 article, Siegel supported that Pynchon had suggested that he write about the Beach Boys, but added that he himself introduced Pet Sounds to Pynchon. Association with Brian Wilson From late 1966 to early 1967, Siegel had a close acquaintance with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. He was first introduced to Wilson by Beach Boys associate David Anderle, who had enjoyed Siegel's article about Dylan and suggested that Siegel write about Wilson. Siegel, who had recently migrated from New York to Los Angeles, was impressed with Wilson, and he documented his experiences for an article which he had presold for The Saturday Evening Post. He became part of a coterie that accompanied Wilson for much of the