“ The fact that we could still harmonize after 50 years – that’s quite a reunion … we put a lot of love in our harmonies…there’s some real love in there!”
~~ Brian Wilson, American Icon
June 14, 2012 on The Beach Boys VEVO’s channel
June 20th, the first day of summer, Brian Wilson, American musician, co-founder and brains behind The Beach Boys, turns 70 years young.
Wilson and the rest of The Beach Boys have been celebrating their 50th anniversary with a tour that began in 2011. The Beach Boys is the first pop band in America to reach the 50 year milestone. Many of their songs were all about summer -– sun, beach, surf -- everyone loves summer and everyone loves Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys! Happy B-Day to you Brian! Wishing you many, many, more. And Happy 50th Anniversary to The Beach Boys!
From the look and sounds of his latest performances, and from various snippets of interviews over the years, Wilson still has "good vibrations." As a child growing up listening to his music, Wilson still sounds great and is still the best at what he is – singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer, musician, actor, genius.
Known by many as “the Mozart of Rock and Gershwin of his generation,” Wilson, for the first time in 20 years, is back with the original Beach Boys (except late Dennis and Carl) touring again and singing their latest, “That’s Why God Made the Radio.”
The official Beach Boys Facebook page had over 950,000 likes as of mid-June – “God only knows how the world feels about Brian and The Beach Boys.”
In March 2011, nearly 50 years after the group formed, the long lost, legendary album “SMiLE,” regarded as the most famous unreleased album of all time, was released as a CD box set titled "The Smile Sessions" and received unanimous critical acclaim. This was Brian Wilsons follow-up project to Pet Sounds, but was never completed in its original form. Photo left, "SMiLE" original album cover design by artist Frank Homles.
Earlier in 2012, Rolling Stone listed SMiLE as #381 of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Just when you think you've heard all of their masterpieces, another opus surfaces. I can listen to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boy’s music forever and have posted several links below to videos of their music so you can hear and see for yourself.
"Pet Sounds" Wilson's psychedelic rock style album, has been "championed and emulated for its dramatic and revolutionary baroque instrumentation" and ranked at #1 in several music magazines' lists of greatest albums of all time, including New Musical Express, The Times and Mojo Magazine. It was ranked #2 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
The Beach boys Historic Landmark (photo left), was dedicated at 3701 W. 119th St., Hawthorne, CA, childhood home of Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, on May 20th, 2005. Their home was demolished in the mid-1980s during construction of the Century Freeway.
Timeline of awards and recognitions
• Wilson and the Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in January 1988.
• In 2000, Wilson was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Paul McCartney introduced Brian, referring to him as "one of the great American geniuses."
• In March 2001, TNT and Radio City Music Hall hosted "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson." This event featured performances and appearances by Elton John, Billy Joel, Chazz Palminteri host, David Crosby, Dennis Hopper, Paul Simon, Carly Simon, The Go-Go's, Cameron Crowe, Sir George Martin, Vince Gill, Brian's daughters Carnie & Wendy Wilson along with Chynna Phillips (Wilson Phillips), Jimmy Webb, Darius Rucker, Matthew Sweet, Ann and Nancy Wilson of (Heart), The Boys Choir of Harlem, and others.
• Pet Sounds has been ranked as one of the most influential records in popular music, and has been ranked #1 on several music magazines' lists of the greatest albums of all time. It is ranked #2 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
• On May 10, 2004, Wilson was honored as a BMI Icon at the 52nd annual BMI Pop Awards. He was saluted for his "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers."
• A 2005 concert, "Musicares: A Tribute to Brian Wilson," was held in Wilson's honor, during which he was named MusiCares Person of the Year. Performers included Jeff Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Earth Wind & Fire, Barenaked Ladies, and Backstreet Boys, among others.
• On May 20, 2005, Wilson and two of the other original-era Beach Boys (Al Jardine and David Marks) were honored with the unveiling of the Beach Boys Historic Landmark on the former site of the Wilson family home in Hawthorne, California.
• In 2005, Wilson won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for Mrs. O'Leary's Cow.
• In November 2006, Wilson was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. Wilson performed "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations" at the ceremony.
• On December 2, 2007, the Kennedy Center Honors committee recognized Wilson for a lifetime of contributions to American culture through the performing arts in music.
• May 20, 2011, Wilson received the UCLA George and Ira Gershwin Award at UCLA Spring Sing.
Acting Filmography:
• Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (2010)
• Himself Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of "Smile" (5-Oct-2004)
• Himself Mayor of the Sunset Strip (17-Jun-2003)
• Himself Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (29-Jan-1994)
• Himself My Own Private Idaho (12-Sep-1991)
• Live Aid (13-Jul-1985)
• Himself The Monkey's Uncle (23-Jun-1965)
• Himself The T.A.M.I. Show (29-Dec-1964)
• Himself Official Website: http://www.brianwilson.com/
Author of book:
•Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story (1991, memoir)
Other Resources
► ABC News BackStage Pass Digital Original
► Brian Wilson Web Site
► About Brian
► Facebook page for Brian Wilson
► YouTube.com: Brian Wilson Plays “Surf it Up” on Piano
► The Beach Boys 51 year discography
Fifty-year discography:
(source: http://www.beachboys.com/albums.html)
ALBUM TITLE | LABEL | YEAR
• Lost and Found: 1961-1962 DCC 1961-62
• Surfin' Varese Sarabande 1961-62
• Surfin' Safari Capitol 1962
• Surfin USA Capitol 1963
• Surfer Girl Capitol 1963
• Little Deuce Coupe Capitol 1963
• Shut Down Vol. 2 Capitol 1964
• All Summer Long Capitol 1964
• The Beach Boys' Christmas Album Capitol 1964
• Beach Boys Concert Capitol 1964
• The Beach Boys Today! Capitol 1965
• Summer Days (and Summer Nights!) Capitol 1965
• Beach Boys' Party! Capitol 1965
• Pet Sounds Capitol 1966
• Best of the Beach Boys Capitol 1966
• Smiley Smile Capitol 1967
• Wild Honey Capitol 1967
• Best Of The Beach Boys Vol. 2 Capitol 1967
• Friends Capitol 1968
• Stack-o-Tracks Capitol 1968
• Best Of The Beach Boys Vol. 3 Capitol 1968
• ABC, 20/20 Capitol 1969
• Sunflower Brother/Reprise 1970
• Good Vibrations Capitol 1970
• Greatest Hits (UK)Capitol 1970
• Surf's Up Brother/Reprise 1971
• Carl and the Passions: So Tough Brother/Reprise 1972
• Holland Brother Reprise 1973
• The Beach Boys In Concert Brother/Reprise 1973
• Endless Summer Capitol 1974
• Spirit Of America Capitol 1975
• 15 Big Ones Brother/Reprise 1976
• Beach Boys '69 (Live In London) Capitol 1976
• The Beach Boys Love You Brother/Reprise 1977
• M.I.U. Album Reprise 1978
• L.A. (Light Album) Caribou 1979
• Sunshine Dream Capitol 1980
• Keepin' The Summer Alive Caribou 1980
• Ten Years Of Harmony Epic 1981
• Rarities Capitol 1983
• The Beach Boys Caribou 1985
• The Beach Boys: 1962-1967
• Time-Life 1986
• Made In The U.S.A. Capitol 1986
• Still Cruisin' Capitol 1989
• The Absolute Best Vol. 1 Capitol 1991
• The Absolute Best Vol. 2 Capitol 1991
• Summer In Paradise Brother Entertainment 1992
• Good Vibrations: 30 Years of the Beach Boys Capitol 1993
• The Instrumental Hits Toshiba EMI 1994
• Greatest Surfing Songs CEMA 1995
• Little Deuce Coupe - Greatest Car Songs EMI Special Markets 1996
• The Best Of The Beach Boys [TEN BEST SERIES] EMI Special Markets 1997
• Perfect Harmony Capitol 1997
• The Pet Sounds Sessions EMI/Capitol 1997
• Endless Harmony EMD/Capitol 1998
• Ultimate Christmas Capitol 1998
• Greatest Hits Vol. 1 Capitol 1999
• Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Capitol 1999
• Greatest Hits Vol. 3: Best of the Brother Years 1970-1986 Capitol 2000
• Hawthorne, CA: Birthplace of a Musical Legacy Capitol 2001
• Live at Knebworth 1980 Eagle 2002
• The Beach Boys Classics: Selected By Brian Wilson EMI/Capitol 2002
• The Very Best Of The Beach Boys Capitol 2003
• The Very Best Of The Beach Boys: Sounds Of Summer Capitol 2003
• Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys Toshiba EMI Japan 2004
• Songs From Here and Back Hallmark 2006
• Songs Covered By The Beach Boys Sterling/EMI 2006
• Good Vibrations 40th Anniversary Capitol/EMI 2006
• Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary Capitol 2006
• The Beach Boys Greatest Hits: Live At Knebworth Laserlight 2006
• The Warmth Of The Sun Capitol 2007
• The Platinum Collection EMI Australia 2007
• Summer Love Songs Capitol 2009
• Christmas Harmonies Capitol 2009
• 10 Great Songs Capitol 2010
• The Smile Sessions Capitol 2011
• 50th Anniversary Retrospetive 'ZinePak Capitol 2012
• That's Why God Made The Radio Capitol 2012
I know this if off topic but I'm looking into starting my own blog and was curious where you get your inspiration to write your posts.
ReplyDeleteI think about a lot of things and when I believe a topic is something that others may enjoy and find interesting, I write and share it. The inspiration comes from being a doer.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to him! They don’t make music like this anymore, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteAhhh, the Beach Boys… This brings back so many memories. Brians was always my favorite member of the band, lol
ReplyDelete