This is hard to take. Unquestionably, to me, Brian Wilson was the greatest composer of pop music we've ever had.
Even Wilson's most recent work - when he was very clearly suffering a lot - is so deeply interesting, and weird, and moving, and has a total mastery of his craft.
From 2021 - "Right Where I Belong":
'''
I get anxious. I get scared a lot.
That's what I live with.
It should get better, really, any day now -
- those were my teenage years.
They said: "Go out and get a steady job."
That was the worst idea!
All night and day, another lonely song -
- to get me through again.
In my fantasy I'm never far from home.
But in reality I know where I belong.
For me, the love - that's what the music really is.
I know that love is what I rеally want to share.
So I went out and got a steady a job -
- so many golden years.
That rhapsody to me: the music calls -
- to ride the wave again.
He was America. The idealism, the bizarro suburban sincerity, the descent into late-century darkness, the total mastery of the form: the ability to write a two-minute song as if it were a perfectly manicured lawn, capturing all its layered uncanniness. Melodies and harmonies that have beauty beyond language - he really did write for the entire universe. It didn't matter if his songs were to girls, or waves, or particularly quick cars.
He was a prophet of his time in the same way that William Blake was. It all feels so incredibly inevitable. I really hope he understood that he was as important as Bacharach and maybe Bach - though I don't get the sense, as much as one can from the outside, as a fan, that he'd particularly care. He had too much love for his work.
Surf's up, I guess. Thank you very much for it all, Brian, if you're reading this. Your work makes me believe that you could.
I'm convinced that "Pet Sounds" is lyrically a proto-emo album dressed up in an instrumental psychedelic doo-wop trenchcoat. For years I dismissed it as one of those albums that people pretended to like to seem smart until I was mature enough to understand it. Now it's one of my favorites.
I encourage everyone to listen to his 1988 solo album self named “Brian Wilson”. It’s brilliant. Frequently called “Pet Sounds ‘88” since many fans consider it to be a spiritual sequel. The 80s synth dressing might seem off putting at first but the songwriting and musicality of it is just amazing.
Also, give a listen to Smile! - not Smiley Smile, or The Smile Sessions, but the 2004 recreation. It's quite mindblowing. If you close your eyes you can hear it as a true symphony.
Two albums (vinyl) my mom got for me when I was maybe 9 years old — "Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits" and "The Beach Boys — High Water".
What a wild thing to get a 9 year old kid. Music. Both albums formed who I am today musically. When YouTube came around I was able to find out that Brian often was the one singing the amazing falsetto parts.
"I get around / From town to town / I'm a real cool head / I'm making real good bread"
My wife took me to see him a few years ago and I'm so glad. One of the most influential people in rock and roll for sure and I hope in time more people realize that.
Tragic life story w/r/t Eugene Landy, but some truly amazing music. I'm glad his career bounced back in recent decades and he was able to die widely-loved instead of in obscurity. I will watch Norbit (2007) tonight in his honor.
"T.A.M.I. Show is a 1964 concert film released by American International Pictures.[1] It includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England. The concert was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 28 and 29, 1964. Free tickets were distributed to local high school students. The acronym "T.A.M.I." was used inconsistently in the show's publicity to mean both "Teenage Awards Music International" and "Teen Age Music International"."
A childhood memory is hearing Good Vibrations through a crystal radio using my bedframe as an antenna while in a hypnogogic state, supposed to be sleeping. It felt other-worldly.
The Beach Boys, on a double bill with Chicago, Madison Square Garden Summer ‘75, were my first concert. No Brian, of course, but all the songs were his. So many amazing tunes! (Note: despite going with my dad, we got stoned out of our gourds from the pot those around us were smoking.)
First concert I ever went to in 1988 with my aunt. Wouldn't it be Nice was my first "song" with my first girlfriend in high school. You gave so much to all of us, Brian. You earned the rest.
People ask who the current version of this kind of genius is for pop music, and between the one man band element, turns as a composer, and general weirdness and reclusiveness, Trent Reznor is probably who comes to mind for me, but even his heyday was 30 years ago. I have no idea who in their 20s might have this kind of impact. Let us appreciate these people while we can.
Wouldnt it be nice is such an amazing piece of art. Grew up hearing it, never listening to the lyrics. Thought it was fun. As an adult finally paid attention to the lyrics one day and they knocked me off my feet. The happiest most upbeat song is really singing about something not quite there, an ideal, but real, something to be grasped and lost…or let go…
In the 1960s, California high schools were enlightened enough to play pop music in their cafeterias. Normal pop drivel, while all the jaded teenagers were laughing and talking. One day, “Good Vibrations” starting playing, just after it was released. And I’ve been told everything in the cafeteria just stopped…all these teenagers stopped talking, and just listened. It was that significant a new sound…
Brian Wilson has died
(pitchfork.com)390 points by coloneltcb 11 June 2025 | 127 comments
Comments
Even Wilson's most recent work - when he was very clearly suffering a lot - is so deeply interesting, and weird, and moving, and has a total mastery of his craft.
From 2021 - "Right Where I Belong":
'''
I get anxious. I get scared a lot. That's what I live with. It should get better, really, any day now - - those were my teenage years.
They said: "Go out and get a steady job." That was the worst idea! All night and day, another lonely song - - to get me through again.
In my fantasy I'm never far from home. But in reality I know where I belong.
For me, the love - that's what the music really is. I know that love is what I rеally want to share.
So I went out and got a steady a job - - so many golden years. That rhapsody to me: the music calls - - to ride the wave again.
https://youtu.be/FToNl9VyI0g?si=VEIOlTCsbYz2yy7g
'''
He was America. The idealism, the bizarro suburban sincerity, the descent into late-century darkness, the total mastery of the form: the ability to write a two-minute song as if it were a perfectly manicured lawn, capturing all its layered uncanniness. Melodies and harmonies that have beauty beyond language - he really did write for the entire universe. It didn't matter if his songs were to girls, or waves, or particularly quick cars.
He was a prophet of his time in the same way that William Blake was. It all feels so incredibly inevitable. I really hope he understood that he was as important as Bacharach and maybe Bach - though I don't get the sense, as much as one can from the outside, as a fan, that he'd particularly care. He had too much love for his work.
Surf's up, I guess. Thank you very much for it all, Brian, if you're reading this. Your work makes me believe that you could.
RIP.
"Brian Wilson is the Beach Boys. He is the band. We're his fucking messengers. He is all of it. Period. We're nothing. He's everything." [0]
It was just a random thought I had this morning, related to how his brothers and father are depicted in Love and Mercy.
For all their abilities and talent, I think Dennis had it right. Brian was the Beach Boys. RIP.
0: https://books.google.com/books?id=eYyovo_AbqAC
Also, give a listen to Smile! - not Smiley Smile, or The Smile Sessions, but the 2004 recreation. It's quite mindblowing. If you close your eyes you can hear it as a true symphony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UbNwhm2EX8
What a wild thing to get a 9 year old kid. Music. Both albums formed who I am today musically. When YouTube came around I was able to find out that Brian often was the one singing the amazing falsetto parts.
"I get around / From town to town / I'm a real cool head / I'm making real good bread"
On the Ed Sullivan show on bass: https://youtu.be/ruKCw797JM4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NADx3-qRxek
and this beautiful film, very touchingly explores his life with the always-excellent Paul Dano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lioWzrpCtGQ
RIP to a real one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ZjIdyWu-U
"T.A.M.I. Show is a 1964 concert film released by American International Pictures.[1] It includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England. The concert was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 28 and 29, 1964. Free tickets were distributed to local high school students. The acronym "T.A.M.I." was used inconsistently in the show's publicity to mean both "Teenage Awards Music International" and "Teen Age Music International"."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.A.M.I._Show
It's stacked with amazing performers, most at the beginning of their careers, including a young Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wWBV3QCbGE&list=PLhinduWcIK...
People ask who the current version of this kind of genius is for pop music, and between the one man band element, turns as a composer, and general weirdness and reclusiveness, Trent Reznor is probably who comes to mind for me, but even his heyday was 30 years ago. I have no idea who in their 20s might have this kind of impact. Let us appreciate these people while we can.
https://music.apple.com/us/album/sweet-mountain/1102333773?i...
Grew up listening to them.
RIP
What a genius to be able to pull that song off.
In the 1960s, California high schools were enlightened enough to play pop music in their cafeterias. Normal pop drivel, while all the jaded teenagers were laughing and talking. One day, “Good Vibrations” starting playing, just after it was released. And I’ve been told everything in the cafeteria just stopped…all these teenagers stopped talking, and just listened. It was that significant a new sound…
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933092/
https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.brianwilson.com/
Brian Wilson, visionary creative spirit for the Beach Boys, dies aged 82 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44249510 - June 2025