R.I.P. Brian Wilson
The music I grew up with. I didn’t know at the time how lucky I was to see The Beach Boys live in 1974, at an all-day concert at Roosevelt Raceway on Long Island, featuring also Joni Mitchell and Crosby Stills Nash & Young.
Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys passed away at 82. The other day Sly Stone also passed away. They were both in their early 80s.
Theirs was the music I grew up with. How could they be so old when I’m still so young?
In 1974, I went to an all-day music festival at Roosevelt Raceway on Long Island – featuring The Beach Boys, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and Joni Mitchell. I didn’t know how lucky I was.
Here’s the set list for the groups.
Brian Wilson was a true musical genius. Not enough good things could be said about his music writing and performance. There’s an excellent and insightful documentary about him and his struggles I’ve watched many times, but can’t find today because the search engines are favoring reports of his death. Those look-back death reports are mostly caricatures.
This compilation of interviews is not bad.
For the next couple of weeks we’ll be featuring Beach Boy songs at our Video of the Day page.
With such a longevity and breadth of successes, it’s hard to pick his best songs. But here are my five favorites:
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Comments
Regardless of how loud the accolades, you simply cannot wrap your head around Brian’s genius.
Pet Sounds is arguably the best album in rock history. It is a stunning achievement on par with anything the classical masters churned out.
RIP to you sir. You were a big part of my childhood.
mccartney himself was reported to have said “god only knows” is the most perfect pop song ever written and dylan remarked that “brian wilson’s ears need to be in the smithsonian”
their close harmony was amazing–between carl, jardine, love et al, their sound was distinctive and immediately recognizable–the lyrics were at times merely serviceable but the music itself was a tour de force in the art
saw them live a couple of times myself–we were lucky indeed
thanks for the music and may you rest in peace
I watched a BBC documentary several years ago where McCartney reiterated his absolute adoration for ‘God Only Knows’ (I think he did call it the ‘greatest song ever written) and spoke at some length about the genius of Wilson’s writing on ‘Pet Sounds.’ He said that it was one of the only albums he bought for each of his kids.
I seen The Beach Boys in concert twice in 1964.
Oh, yeah?
I went to the beach as a boy in 1964.
Same thing, right?
The music is lasting. The genius acknowledged. The era special. Alas, California of the 60’s was murdered and buried long before his passing.
And at this point in time, the last thing I can say after looking at what California is producing–the type of women– is that I wish they all could be California girls.
I’m really glad they are not all California girls.
so many great songs of our early youth
rest in peace
I was in a rock band 60 years ago and that guy was a master of the genre, a genuine genius.
I have always counted myself lucky to have grown up in the ’50’s and ’60’s with the best music ever. My wedding song was “I Love How You Love Me” by The Paris Sisters (1961) or by Bobby Vinton (1968). Nobody knows it, but I can listen to it on a continuous loop.
1 Corinthians 13.11
Was this meant to be a rebuke? How tasteless of you.
Nassau colliseum – my very first concert! bEACH BOYS! This article brought back lots of fun memories.
RIP Brian Wilson. You got around.
Playing the album Pet Sounds for my granddaughters as I type
👍
Sail on, sail on, sailors…