Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys, passed away at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy shaped by his songwriting and vocal contributions to the band. From the early surf songs to the groundbreaking album Pet Sounds, Wilson's work highlighted both his genius and personal struggles, particularly with mental health. The unfinished album Smile, billed as a 'teenage symphony to God,' became the most famous unheard album in pop history. Though it was ultimately shelved, its influence persisted in later Beach Boys hits, solidifying Wilson's status as a music icon.
Wilson's struggles with mental health issues played a role in the followup to Pet Soundsthe unfinished album Smile, which the Beach Boys began recording in 1966. Wilson was convinced it would be his masterpiece, but Smile wouldn't be released until nearly forty years later.
As part of the brainstorming process, Wilson became reclusive, ordering eight truckloads of beach dumped around his piano at home so that he could wiggle his toes in it and get in the zone to compose.
The Times wrote that it 'turned into the most famous unheard album in pop history.' Later in 1967, the Beach Boys released a stripped down version of Smile, titled Smiley Smile.
But the Smile sessions weren't totally for nothing. Over the years, some of the work that Wilson did for Smile ended up in Beach Boy hits like 'Good Vibrations,' 'Heroes and Villains,' 'Surf's Up,' 'Cabin Essence' and 'Wind Chimes.
Collection
[
|
...
]