A Brief Note on Brian Wilson

The Beach Boys' Legend Was 82

From brianwilson.com.

When I was a kid, I was drawn to a handful of musicians. The Beatles, of course, who remains my lodestar, but also Jim Croce, Elvis Presley, and The Beach Boys.

So, when I heard the news earlier today that we lost Brian Wilson, the band’s creative force, I was saddened. I’ve been thinking a lot about aging lately, because of health issues, so the loss of another hero from my youth carries an extra sting.

Wilson, 82, has not been well for years. He struggled with drugs and depression, was the victim of fraud, so his death was not unexpected. (His brothers Carl and Dennis died in 1998 and 1983, respectively.)

I started my early love affair with the band with a compilation released in the mid-1970s, Endless Summer.

I quickly purchased Little Deuce Coup and a couple of unheralded records: Surf’s Up and The Beach Boys in Concert. I still love both, though Surf’s Up suffers from Brian Wilson’s limited involvement. The live version of Heroes and Villains is worth the price of the live record.

Ultimately, it is Pet Sounds that offers his greatest legacy. The rich sonic textures and lyrics that capture both the hope of summer and the longing and darkness that the ‘60s were falling into. The story goes that Paul McCartney heard the album and took it as a challenge, pushing The Beatles to record and release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band — a story that says everything about the greatness of Pet Sounds.

If there is a single track that demands a listen, it is “Good Vibrations,” which offers everything the band was about.