Brian Wilson

Highly Appreciated

BRIAN WILSON

 
Brian Wilson  (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for being the multi-tasking leader and co-founder of The Beach Boys.  In the mid-1960's, Wilson composed, wrote, and produced Pet Sounds, considered one of the greatest albums of all time.  The intended follow-up to Pet Sounds, Smile, was cancelled for various reasons, which included Wilson's deteriorating mental health.  After years of treatment and recuperation, he began performing and recording consistently as a solo artist, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and winning Grammy Awards for Brian Wilson Presents Smile and The Smile Sessions.  Wilson is credited as a major innovator in the field of music production, and the principal originator of the California Sound.  Only 21-years-old when he received the freedom to produce his own records with total creative autonomy, he ignited an explosion of like-minded California producers, supplanting New York as the center of popular records, and becoming the first rock producer to use the studio as a discrete instrument.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
After one more charting single, "One-Piece Topless Bathing Suit" (which appears on neither album), Terry Melcher ceased working with the Rip Chords and in the process turned down what would have been their next single, a Brian Wilson composition called "Help Me, Rhonda".  It was recorded instead by the Beach Boys and became their second Number One song.  (Musicians in the surf era were quite generous and often shared songwriters and producers with their strongest competitors).
 
(July 2011)
 
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The charming liner notes are entitled "The Skywalkers ABC", and it still took me a while to realize that they were in alphabetical order.  It wasn't just a list of "thank you's" either; they included some commentary with their influences.  They include a lot of familiar bands and artists (at least to me) – Brian Wilson ("for his amazing ballads"), the Electric Prunes ("they got us to the world on time"), Syd Barrett ("for leading us into the sixties"), the Zombies ("the greatest ever"), Q65 ("and other Dutch freakbeat groups") – but others that I don't know at all, like Ola & the Janglers and Jan Breimer.  Their "X" item was "Careful with that X, Eugene!", a take-off on an early Pink Floyd hit, "Careful with that Axe, Eugene".  But the list started with Aliens ("what's taking them so long?") and also includes the Monkey ("[Jacco Gardner]'s favorite dance move"), the Twist ("[Hugo van de Poel]'s favorite dance move"), their photographer Luuk Muller ("for making us look good"), their organ brand Philicorda ("the greatest instrument around"), the Universe ("the greatest place around"), and "You, for buying this record". 
 
(January 2013)
 
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In addition to Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heartthere are a host of Wilsons who have made popular music over the years.  The Beach Boys – "America's band" according to no less than President Ronald Reagan (whose middle name is Wilson, come to think of it) – was founded in 1961 by Brian Wilson, his brothers Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson, and their cousin Mike LoveAl Jardine was the one original bandmember not in the family.  Another Nancy Wilson is a top-notch jazz vocalist who started in the 1960's and frequently crossed over to the R&B and rock charts.  Mary Wilson was one of the founding members of the Supremes; the story of the other bandmembers being eclipsed by lead singer Diana Ross formed the main storyline for the Broadway musical Dreamgirls that later made Jennifer Hudson a star in the film version, Dreamgirls.  Then there are R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Wilson Pickett, country star Gretchen Wilson, comedian and chef Justin Wilson, and many others. 

 

Wilson Phillips is one of the early second-generation rock bands and features another pair of Wilson sisters – Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson (daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys) – plus Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas.  She is the half-sister of actress Mackenzie Phillips, who started out in the film American Graffiti when she was just 12 years old.  Wilson Phillips had a major hit song in 1990 called "Hold On" and has released a total of six albums to date. 

 

(November 2013)

 

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There is also a rare surf song on Pebbles, Volume 4 LP having a female lead, called "Thinkin' 'Bout You Baby" by Sharon Marie.  Another (from Born Bad, Vol. 6) is "Yum Yum Yamaha" by Carol Connors and the CyclesCarol Connors co-wrote the hit song by the Rip Chords"Hey Little Cobra".  "Little Honda" by the Hondells (written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love of the Beach Boys) honored a different brand of Japanese motorcycle and was a Top Ten hit in 1964.

 

The album, Pebbles, Volume 4 LP was the first time I had heard of Bruce & Terry, two LA studio whiz kidsBruce Johnston, now a member of the Beach Boys, and Terry Melcher to be specific.  (The surf scene seemed to have people like that by the carload – others include Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Jan Berry of Jan & Dean).  When I looked up the Rip Chords in Wikipedia before starting my post on the UARB, I was redirected to their entry on Bruce & Terry

 
(December 2014)
 
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Superstar record producer Phil Spector used members of the Wrecking Crew to create his famed "Wall of Sound"; while Beach Boys bandleader Brian Wilson used these musicians on their acclaimed Pet Sounds album and their Number One hit "Good Vibrations".  

 

(February 2015)

 
Last edited: March 22, 2021