By Dave Babbitt – Special to the Sydenham Current
I had chosen a different topic to write about today, until I checked the news.
Breaking news was that Brian Wilson, of Beach Boys fame, has passed away at the age of 82.
Of course, there are countless musicians around the world who have earned great success, but Brian Wilson was revered by almost every one of them.
I’ve chronicled my intense love of vocal harmony in this column several times, and that deep-seated love came about because of the Beach Boys – and the Beach Boys were Brian Wilson.
As a young kid in the 60’s, I honestly didn’t listen to music very much. The Beatles were happening; the Beach Boys were happening, as was all the other great music of the 60’s, but most of it passed me by.
I was too busy being a kid.
But in my later high school years, I was turned on to the beauty of vocal harmony by my friend Greg Lidstone who pulled Chris Mann, Arnold Jagt, and myself together to form “The Oldies Quartet.”
Greg too was stricken by vocal harmonies and, in pulling out his guitar, attempted to teach Chris, Arnold and I numerous doo-wop hits of the 50’s and 60’s, known for the layers of vocal harmonies.
To be honest, we weren’t very good, but we were a big hit on every campsite we ever visited at the Pinery and often ended up with probably over 50 people on our site around the campfire listening to our quasi-four-part harmonies.
Turned on to vocal harmonies, I then discovered the Beach Boys.
They had been around long enough by that point that their first and second Greatest Hits (though not titled as such) albums — Endless Summer and Spirit of America — had already been released.
The superb instrumentals and catchy, singable melodies only played second fiddle to the incredible harmonies that became their hallmark.
While I do not have the column space to delve too deeply into his life story, I have read countless books and articles, and watched countless documentaries and YouTube videos, never tiring of learning more details of Brian’s successes and struggles throughout his life.
The Beach Boys were the American answer to Britain’s Beatles throughout the 60’s.
Rivals? Yes, but interviews always demonstrated the deep respect the groups had for each other.
The Beach Boys were the brainchild of Brian, and the group included his brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love, and family friend Al Jardine.
While the harmonies were sunny, much like Eeyore, there seemed to always be storm clouds over Brian.
As the group gathered steam, earned great accolades, sold millions of records, and toured endlessly, Brian (singer of those soaring falsettos) developed great anxiety when it came to live performances.
At the height of the group’s popularity, he decided to no longer tour with them and would instead focus on writing, arranging, and producing new music.
He became a studio hermit.
At this point, the backing tracks of the Beach Boys’ hits were largely played by a group of crack LA session musicians known as “The Wrecking Crew” (the documentary The Wrecking Crew is required viewing by music fans of the 60’s and 70’s).
The music was written, arranged, and produced by Brian while the band was on the road.
When the rest of the boys returned home, they would have to learn to play the parts created by The Wrecking Crew, and Brian would teach them the vocal parts and layer those beautiful harmonies they are so well known for.
But Brian suffered from depression and in time became a big-time abuser of cocaine, LSD, marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes.
During this time off the road, he began work on the Pet Sounds album that many consider to be in the running for the greatest pop album ever.
Brian eventually became a recluse and most are likely aware of the significant chapter in his life when he was controlled by his controversial therapist Eugene Landy, and had a sandbox built in his house to put his grand piano in so he could be barefoot in the sand while composing.
But after this very dark time in his life, the sun came out again ever so briefly in 1976 when he was once again convinced to produce a new album and perform with the Beach Boys in live shows.
This was when my interest in the Beach Boys began.
Fifteen years after their first success, Brian produced the album 15 Big Ones, was coaxed into hitting the road with the group for the first time in many years, and I scored tickets to the group’s stop at the CNE!
This was the first big-time concert I had ever attended… and it was the entire original line-up of the Beach Boys!
I will never forget the opening as the intro for “California Girls” emanated from a darkened stage.
The intro was slow, long, and drawn-out, but the moment the organ started playing those unmistakable chords and the lights came up, it was sheer magic for the rest of the night!
Brian’s voice wasn’t what it once was, as the drugs and smoking had ruined that beautiful soaring falsetto voice, but he was back!
I wouldn’t give up that night for anything.
As time went on, however, the clouds returned.
His two brothers died — Carl from cancer, and Dennis drowned in a drunken boating accident.
He was deaf in one ear, purportedly from his father hitting him in the head in his younger years.
Brian’s mental struggles continued for the rest of his life.
He was on and off the road and produced many more albums, but not achieving the success of his earlier work.
He fought major legal battles with his father Murry, and his cousin Mike Love over songwriting credits.
If one had watched any interviews with Brian from the past few decades, they have seen a shell of a man.
In 2024, his beloved caretaker and wife Melinda passed away.
By that time, Brian was afflicted with dementia, came under the control of a conservatorship, and slowly faded away until his passing today.
Flaws and all, Brian Wilson was hailed as a musical genius by musicians of all genres.
It was said that he “heard” the music vertically (harmony) first as he was writing, instead of in a linear fashion (melody).
Brian’s God-given gifts leave an incredible legacy for the world to enjoy, but I consider them personal gifts.
Thank you, Brian, for the sunny harmonies.
RIP.
