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Brian Wilson
As one of the founding members of the Beach Boys, along with younger
brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love and college friend Al Jardine,
Brian Wilson began a journey that would, before too long, have him changing
pop music forever. Overcoming deafness in one ear, 19 year old
Brian had 1960s America singing along to songs about surfing, hot-rods and the
California scene. Starting in 1962, the group released 7 albums in their
first 2 years with Capitol Records. Under intense pressure to continue the band's enormous success, 24 year
old Brian quit touring in 1964 and began to focus solely on writing and
producing. This decision led to the creation of what many consider "The
Greatest American Pop Album" - 1966's Pet Sounds. Along with lyricist Tony
Asher, Brian poured his heart and soul into the album that Paul McCartney
called his favorite album of all time,
especially the song "God Only Knows". The next project that Brian began
working on was Smile - a "teenage symphony to God." Van Dyke Parks' eccentric lyrics
proved too much for the rest of the Beach Boys to accept, and coupled with
Brian's worsening mental health, these factors led to the album being shelved and becoming known as
the greatest masterpiece never released.
One of the tracks that survived was
"Good Vibrations". Limited success in the studio came after the abandonment
of Smile, although the band remained a popular touring act. After the deaths of
Brian's two brothers, Dennis in 1983 and Carl in 1998, Brian stated that the
Beach Boys were also dead for him. Solo albums were released (Brian
Wilson, Imagination and Gettin' in Over My Head) as well as another collaboration with Van Dyke Parks
(Orange Crate Art). Then with the help of his new touring band, SMiLE once again began to see the light of day. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to call Brian Wilson one of the most influential pop composers of the last 50 years. Brian Wilson and his band are pictured here on the the opening date of the SMiLE Tour in the United States at The Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, MN on September 30th 2004.
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