Brian Wilson, visionary leader of the Beach Boys and a giant of modern music, dies at 82.

[sds71]

Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys musician, songwriter and producer who created some of history’s most purely beautiful pop music, has died aged 82.

In a post shared on Instagram on Wednesday, Wilson’s family wrote: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”


As the leading creative force in the Beach Boys, Wilson crafted a variously carefree and melancholy sound that came to define the uncertain utopianism of mid-century California. Using ambitious studio techniques to give the band’s music a thrilling grandeur, his songs about surfing, driving, girls and the pep of youth modulated to more reflective and often psychedelic material, resulting in one of the most highly regarded catalogues of American song. The Beach Boys’ 1966 album Pet Sounds – written and produced almost entirely by Wilson – is seen not only as the group’s masterpiece, but for many is the greatest album of all time...

Brian Wilson, visionary creative spirit for the Beach Boys, dies aged 82

Musician, who suffered from mental health problems, wrote and produced the 1966 album Pet Sounds – seen by many as the greatest album of all time

www.theguardian.com

 

[sds71]

At age 19, Wilson — along with his brothers, Love and Jardine — formed the Beach Boys, which was initially known as the Pendletones, and co-wrote the group's first song, "Surfin'." By 1962, they released their first studio album, Surfin' Safari. And with the success of their sophomore effort, Surfin' U.S.A., and two subsequent albums also released in 1963, they helped cultivate — and became synonymous with — the "California sound."

A few years later, Wilson helped the group expand beyond that surf and beach culture with more mature music, culminating in 1966's Pet Sounds, 1967's scrapped effort, Smile, and the single, "Good Vibrations." The first is what eventually cemented Wilson and the Beach Boys' place in rock 'n' roll history, with the album going on to become one of the most influential of all time…

Despite the Beach Boys' soaring popularity and continued success on the charts, Wilson started to succumb to various mental instabilities brought on by depression over deafness in his right ear, an unofficial musical rivalry with the Beatles, the relentless nature of being on tour and what PEOPLE described later, in 1975, as "the excesses of the '60s," Wilson became a "victim of his own genius." Years later, after continued mental decline and increased self-destructive behavior, he went into reclusion after his father's death in June 1973.


In 1991, Wilson told PEOPLE his father's abuse and a "two-by-four [he hit him with] caused deafness in my right ear,'' adding that his ''childhood and adolescence were very sad times in my life, because I always had to turn my head to hear things, trying to imagine where those voices were coming from.''

Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder and Singer, Dies at 82

Brian Wilson, a founding member of the Beach Boys, has died at 82. The music icon helped define the 'California sound' with the American rock band he formed with his family members and a friend.

people.com

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Brian Wilson, influential pop pioneer and leader of the Beach Boys, dies at 82

Wilson was revered by generations of artists for his arresting melodies and romantic lyrics. Privately, he struggled with mental health issues and drug abuse.

www.nbcnews.com

Brian Wilson, Beach Boys visionary leader and summer's poet laureate, dies at 82

One of the world’s most beloved and influential musicians, his family posted news of his death to his website Wednesday.

www.detroitnews.com

 

[branmuffin]

I remember reading that the song In My Room referred to where Brian would go after he got a beating for his dad. Apparently his father was a very abusive man. He hit Brian across the head with a two by four when a teen and made him permanently deaf in his left ear.

They were always classified as the up beat teen surfer dude guys but so many of their songs had a true inspirational feel about them like Sail on Sailor and Don't Worry Baby.

He was a musical genius, imo. RIP

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"We are heartbroken to announced that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy."

Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson dies aged 82

“We are at a loss for words right now”

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Pet Sounds (40th Anniversary Edition)

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[scandinavian girl]

We lost a musical genius, RIP Brian. Hanging on my wall is my most cherished possession that is an original Beach Boys tour jacket from the 60´s or early 70´s given to me from a friend whos brother worked in a hotel and one of the members gave him the jacket as a gift.

 

[fred&edna]

brian wilson had a truly special musical gift.

sad to see him go.