If there is a Mount Rushmore of American Popular Music and Rick & Roll, then Brian Wilson, who died two days ago at age 82 surely sits prominently upon it. Wilson, the California Boy who founded the Beach Boys, was and will always remain an authentic musical genius. Tributes to him from a Who's Who of musical greats have abounded across the news (his death was a featured story on the national network news programs) and social media. What could I possibly add to what people like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and others have already said? Therefore, my own tribute to this Absent Friend will be a reprinting of what I wrote on August 26, 2016 when I saw Brian Wilson perform, live and in person (and has it really been nine years ago already?).
Here you go, and RIP Brian Wilson.
Friday, August 26, 2016
Brian Wilson and "Pet Sounds"
This much anticipated concert date finally rolled around last night and what a night it was. An authentic musical genius, Brian Wilson, founder of The Beach Boys, performing in it's entirety, one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time, "Pet Sounds", to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of it's release. Throw in the accompaniment of fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine, and a terrific ten piece band, and what you got was an evening that far exceeded every expectation that I had when I walked into the Benedum last night.
Brian Wilson's story is well known. A founder and the musical master behind The Beach Boys, Wilson withdrew from touring with the band when he had an anxiety attack when traveling on an airplane. He then went into the studio to create the masterpiece, Pet Sounds. No one knew it at the time that it was masterpiece. It was only a modest, if that, commercial success when it was released, but as the years went by, it became elevated in the pantheon of rock and roll albums. (No less than Paul McCartney has called it perhaps the greatest album of all time.) Wilson continued to withdraw, had artistic disagreements with his band mates, became drug dependent and paranoid, fell under the influence of a Svengali-like doctor, and became pretty much of a mess. His story did have a happy ending and was well told in the 2015 movie, "Love and Mercy", which I highly recommend.
Anyway, the concert last night was tremendous. Can Wilson sing like he did in his Beach Boys hey-day? No, of course he can't, what seventy-four year old singer can? Yet his singing of the entire Pet Sounds album last night was mesmerizing. He would sing the songs, and when it came time for the trademark Beach Boys high notes and falsettos, those portions of the song were sung by vocalist Matt Jardine, Al's son. These trade offs were done seamlessly, and they contributed to the magic of the performance. It was beautiful.
The night began with a one hour set that mixed some Beach Boys standards as well as some of the "Smile" songs, and featured a number of the individual band members. Highlights included Matt Jardine singing "Don't Worry Baby", and Wilson singing "God Only Knows", which led to a mid-set standing ovation.
The second set was the Pet Sounds performance, which, as I have stated, was simply amazing.
(Photo courtesy of Dan Bonk)
It was the encore, featuring Wilson and Jardine, that shook the rafters of the Benedum and had the crowd on its feet the entire time. "Good Vibrations", "Help Me, Rhonda", "Surfin' USA", "Barbara Ann", and "Fun, Fun, Fun". I mean, how could it get much better than that?
At the risk of sounding like a total fanboy, I don't think that I can overstate what it felt like to actually see and hear Brian Wilson perform live and person. The term "genius" is passed around too easily and too often, but I think that it is totally appropriate to use it when speaking of Brian Wilson. He has led a tortured life, and much of that is evident in his somewhat wooden stage presence. He shuffles when he walks, and he talks very little between songs, but when the music plays and he begins to sing, even at the age of 74, the magic is there. I feel very fortunate that I am now able to say that "Yeah, I saw Brian Wilson."
This much anticipated concert date finally rolled around last night and what a night it was. An authentic musical genius, Brian Wilson, founder of The Beach Boys, performing in it's entirety, one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time, "Pet Sounds", to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of it's release. Throw in the accompaniment of fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine, and a terrific ten piece band, and what you got was an evening that far exceeded every expectation that I had when I walked into the Benedum last night. Brian Wilson's story is well known. A founder and the musical master behind The Beach Boys, Wilson withdrew from touring with the band when he had an anxiety attack when traveling on an airplane. He then went into the studio to create the masterpiece, Pet Sounds. No one knew it at the time that it was masterpiece. It was only a modest, if that, commercial success when it was released, but as the years went by, it became elevated in the pantheon of rock and roll albums. (No less than Paul McCartney has called it perhaps the greatest album of all time.) Wilson continued to withdraw, had artistic disagreements with his band mates, became drug dependent and paranoid, fell under the influence of a Svengali-like doctor, and became pretty much of a mess. His story did have a happy ending and was well told in the 2015 movie, "Love and Mercy", which I highly recommend. Anyway, the concert last night was tremendous. Can Wilson sing like he did in his Beach Boys hey-day? No, of course he can't, what seventy-four year old singer can? Yet his singing of the entire Pet Sounds album last night was mesmerizing. He would sing the songs, and when it came time for the trademark Beach Boys high notes and falsettos, those portions of the song were sung by vocalist Matt Jardine, Al's son. These trade offs were done seamlessly, and they contributed to the magic of the performance. It was beautiful. The night began with a one hour set that mixed some Beach Boys standards as well as some of the "Smile" songs, and featured a number of the individual band members. Highlights included Matt Jardine singing "Don't Worry Baby", and Wilson singing "God Only Knows", which led to a mid-set standing ovation. The second set was the Pet Sounds performance, which, as I have stated, was simply amazing.
(Photo courtesy of Dan Bonk)
It was the encore, featuring Wilson and Jardine, that shook the rafters of the Benedum and had the crowd on its feet the entire time. "Good Vibrations", "Help Me, Rhonda", "Surfin' USA", "Barbara Ann", and "Fun, Fun, Fun". I mean, how could it get much better than that?
At the risk of sounding like a total fanboy, I don't think that I can overstate what it felt like to actually see and hear Brian Wilson perform live and person. The term "genius" is passed around too easily and too often, but I think that it is totally appropriate to use it when speaking of Brian Wilson. He has led a tortured life, and much of that is evident in his somewhat wooden stage presence. He shuffles when he walks, and he talks very little between songs, but when the music plays and he begins to sing, even at the age of 74, the magic is there. I feel very fortunate that I am now able to say that "Yeah, I saw Brian Wilson." I will close this post the same way that Wilson closed his show last night: with a remarkable performance of "Love and Mercy".
When it comes to a discussion of the really, really greats of American popular music in the latter half of the twentieth century, I believe that Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys stands, if not alone, then certainly among the top three or four such artists. If you follow such things, you would be aware that Wilson, for all of his talents, has led a very troubled life, dealing with addiction and mental health issues. This is the story that is told in "Love & Mercy", and it is not always an easy story to watch.
In making this movie, director Bill Pohlad has chosen to cast two different actors to play Wilson. Paul Dano plays the 1960's version of Wilson. This is the Brian Wilson who struggles with a controlling and abusive father, and band mates who don't get it when he, Wilson, wants to move beyond summer-and-surfer music and expand into something greater. We see the greatness of Wilson who works tirelessly in the recording studio to make the album "Pet Sounds", and album that bombed when it was released, but has since been recognized as one to the great rock albums of all time.
Brian Wilson / Paul Dano / John Cusack
John Cusack, always a personal favorite of mine, plays Wilson in the 1980's. It is a time when The Beach Boys have become a nostalgia act, and Wilson himself has fallen deep into the grips of depression and under the controlling influence of charlatan doctor Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti). Into his life comes failed model turned car saleswoman Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks). It is Melinda who sees Landy for the controlling creep that he is and will work with the Wilson family to "rescue" Brian. Melinda and Brian would go on to be married and have five children. They remain married to this day, and it is with their approval that this movie has been made and this story told.
The movie moves back and forth between the life and times of the younger and the older Wilson, a technique that works very well. The acting by all four of the leads is superb. The decision to use two actors to play Wilson worked to perfection.
The music of The Beach Boys and Wilson, particularly "Pet Sounds", is in the movie, but if you are expecting a juke box movie, you will be disappointed. This is a story of a man struggling with a lot of inner demons who is being pulled in many directions by a lot of people, very few of whom have his interests at heart. It is well made and well acted. It is not always easy to watch, but it tells an important story about one of the great persons in his field. It is well worth seeing.
