Latest news with #GoodVibrations'
Boston Globe
13 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘Love & Mercy' told Brian Wilson's story in a way that fit him
But the film's real magic came in its recreations of the studio sessions that yielded the glory of the 'Pet Sounds' album and the singular single 'Good Vibrations.' We see Dano's Wilson orchestrating his session players, many of them from the loose, unparalleled collective known as The Wrecking Crew, through the recording of 'Pet Sounds.' We see him obsessing over that perfect cello sound that makes 'Good Vibrations' purr, as Beach Boy Mike Love (Jake Abel) snarls his impatient disapproval. I've seen few movie sequences that better capture the euphoric, frustrating creative process. Advertisement Chris Vognar, a freelance culture writer, was the 2009 Nieman Arts and Culture Fellow at Harvard University.
Japan Today
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Two musical revolutionaries, Sly Stone and Brian Wilson, leave life's stage nearly simultaneously
Members of The Beach Boys, from left, Mike Love, Carl Wilson, Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston, pose with their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, during a ceremony in Los Angeles on Dec 30, 1980. By DAVID BAUDER Sometimes there are strange symmetries in death, as in life. The twin passings of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson this week brought that into sharp relief. Both were musical geniuses who paid a high price for their gifts. They burned bright, with art they created at their peaks that became more moving and meaningful with time, only to see their creative lights extinguished suddenly through mental health and addiction issues. Both were 82 when they died — Stone on Monday and Wilson on Wednesday. 'It's such an unsettling coincidence,' said Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor at Rolling Stone. 'These two figures, they were very different and massively influential, and each ran into a wall of their own problems in many ways. As much as they achieved, it's hard not to think that they could have done more.' With his late brothers Carl and Dennis, Beach Boys co-founder Wilson was the architect of the California sound that captured surfing and sun, beaches and girls. Yet for all the 'Fun, Fun, Fun,' there was something much deeper and darker in Brian's abilities as a composer. It was more than disposable music for teenagers. He had an unparalleled melodic sense, hearing sounds in his mind that others couldn't. He could worm his way into your head and then break your heart with songs like 'In My Room' and 'God Only Knows.' The tour de force 'Good Vibrations' —- had anyone ever heard of the theremin before he employed its unearthly wail? — is a symphony both complex and easily accessible. 'He was our American Mozart,' musician Sean Ono Lennon wrote on social media. The 1966 album 'Pet Sounds' was a peak. Wilson felt a keen sense of competition with the Beatles. But they had three writers, including Sean's dad, John Lennon. Wilson was largely alone, and he heard impatience and doubt from other Beach Boys, whose music he provided. He felt the pressure in trying to follow up 'Pet Sounds,' and 'Smile' became music's most famous unfinished album. Wilson, a damaged soul to begin with because of an abusive father, never reached the heights again. He descended into a well-chronicled period of darkness. Stone's skills came in creating a musical world that others only dreamed of at the time. The Family Stone was an integrated world — Black and white, men and women — and the music they created was a potent mixture of rock, soul and funk. It made you move, it made you think. For a period of time from 1967 to 1973, their music was inescapable — 'Dance to the Music,' 'Everybody is a Star,' 'Higher,' 'Hot Fun in the Summertime,' 'Sing a s Simple Song,' 'Family Affair,' 'Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).' Their performance at Woodstock was a milestone. 'His songs weren't just about fighting injustice, they were about transforming the self to transform the world,' musician and documentarian Questlove, who lovingly tended to Stone's legacy, wrote this week. 'He dared to be simple in the most complex ways — using childlike joy, wordless cries and nursery rhyme cadences to express adult truths. His work looked straight at the brightest and darkest parts of life and demanded we do the same.' From his peak, the fall was hard. Years of drug abuse took its toll. Periodic comeback attempts deepened a sense of bewilderment and pity. Music is littered with stories of sudden, untimely and early deaths. Yet until this week, both men lived on, somewhat improbably passing average life expectancies. Wilson, by many measures, achieved some level of peace late in life. He had a happy marriage. He was able to see how his music was revered and appreciated and spent several years performing it again with a younger band that clearly worshiped him. It was a postscript not many knew, said journalist Jason Fine, who befriended Wilson and made the 2021 documentary, 'Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road.' 'That sort of simple message he really wanted to give people through his music going back to the '60s — a sense of warmth, a sense that it's going to be OK in the same way that music lifted him up from his darkness, he'd try to do for other people,' Fine told The Associated Press in an interview then. 'I think now, more than earlier in his career, he accepts that he does that and that's a great comfort to him.' Stone emerged to write an autobiography in 2023. But less is known about his later years, whether he found peace or died without the full knowledge of what his music meant to others. 'Yes, Sly battled addiction,' Questlove wrote. 'Yes, he disappeared from the spotlight. But he lived long enough to outlast many of his disciples, to feel the ripples of his genius return through hip-hop samples, documentaries and his memoir. Still, none of that replaces the raw beauty of his original work.' Did Sly Stone and Brian Wilson live lives of tragedy or triumph? It's hard to say now. One suspects it will become easier with the passage of time, when only the work remains. That sometimes brings clarity. 'Millions of people had their lives changed by their music,' DeCurtis said. 'Not just enjoyed it, but had their lives transformed. That's quite an accomplishment.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paul McCartney, Mike Love, Carnie Wilson, Elton John react to the death of Brian Wilson
Notable reaction to the death of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson at age 82. ___ 'I have no words to express the sadness I feel right now. My Father @brianwilsonlive was every fiber of my body. He will be remembered by millions and millions until the world ends. I am lucky to have been his daughter and had a soul connection with him that will live on always. I've never felt this kind of pain before, but I know he's resting up there in heaven ... or maybe playing the piano for Grandma Audree his Mom. I will post something else soon but this is all my hands will let me type. I love you Daddy....I miss so much you already.' — Wilson's daughter, Carnie Wilson, on Instagram. ___ 'Our journey together was filled with moments of brilliance, heartbreak, laughter, complexity and most of all, LOVE . Like all families, we had our ups and downs. But through it all, we never stopped loving each other, and I never stopped being in awe of what he could do when he sat at a piano or his spontaneity in the studio.' — Mike Love, Beach Boy and Wilson cousin, on Instagram. ___ 'Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special. The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, 'God Only Knows.' Thank you, Brian. - Paul." — Paul McCartney, on Instagram. ___ "Heard the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I've been listening to him and admiring his genius. Rest in peace dear Brian." — Bob Dylan, on X. ___ "Brian Wilson, my friend, my classmate, my football teammate, my Beach Boy bandmate and my brother in spirit, I will always feel blessed that you were in our lives for as long as you were. I think the most comforting thought right now is that you are reunited with Carl and Dennis, singing those beautiful harmonies again." — Beach Boys founding member Al Jardine, in a statement. ___ "Brian Wilson was always so kind to me from the day I met him. He sang 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight' at a tribute concert in 2003, and it was an extraordinary moment for me. I played on his solo records, he sang on my album, The Union, and even performed for my AIDS Foundation. I grew to love him as a person, and for me, he was the biggest influence on my songwriting ever; he was a musical genius and revolutionary. He changed the goalposts when it came to writing songs and shaped music forever. A true giant." — Elton John, on Instagram. ___ 'Brian Wilson was my friend and my brother in songwriting. We shared a similar sensibility, as evidenced by his 4 over 5 chord under 'Aaaah!' in 'Good Vibrations' and mine under 'I'm Into Something Good.' We once discussed who used it first, and in the end we decided it didn't matter. The world will miss Brian, but we are so lucky to have his music.' — Carole King, on Facebook. ___ 'Not only did his songs capture the spirit of youth, joy and longing in ways that still inspire millions of fans around the world, his innovative work in the studio transformed the way musicians record even to this day. Brian made an indelible mark, and our thoughts are with his family in this time of loss.' — Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, in a statement. ___ "I think 'God Only Knows' that song is like one of the best written songs ever and thank you, Brian, for that. May you rest in peace, we're going to miss you.' — Metallica frontman James Hetfield, in an interview with The Associated Press. ___ 'I know Orbison is the king of emo, but man if there was a human being who made art out of inexpressible sadness …. damn it was Brian Wilson.' — Questlove, on Instagram. ___ 'The maestro has passed — the man was an open heart with two legs — with an ear that heard the angels. Quite literally. Love and Mercy for you and yours tonight. RIP Brian.' — John Cusack, who played Wilson in the 2014 biopic 'Love & Mercy,' on X. ___ 'Rest in Peace!' — Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, on Instagram. ___ 'Oh no Brian Wilson and Sly Stone in one week - my world is in mourning. so sad.' — Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, on X. ___ 'Anyone with a musical bone in their body must be grateful for Brian Wilson's genius magical touch !! And greatly saddened of this major worldly loss!! My thoughts go out to his family and friends.' — Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood, on X. ___ 'First Sly, now Brian … this is really just …' — Maggie Rogers wrote on her Instagram Story, adding a heartbreak emoji. ___ 'God bless Brian, peace and love to all the family, peace and love Ringo and Barbara.' — Ringo Starr, on X. ___ 'Anyone who really knows me knows how heart broken I am about Brian Wilson passing. Not many people influenced me as much as he did. I feel very lucky that I was able to meet him and spend some time with him. He was always very kind and generous. He was our American Mozart. A one of a kind genius from another world.' — Sean Ono Lennon, on X. ___ 'SO very sad to hear that our dear friend, inspiration and mentor for decades has passed away. Rest In Peace BRIAN love, Dewey & Gerry' — Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, the only remaining founding members of the band America, on Instagram. ___ 'His cherished music will live forever as he travels through the Universe and beyond. God bless you, sweet Brian. One of the biggest thrills of my life was singing 'California Girls' with Brian.' — Nancy Sinatra, on Instagram. ___ 'To me, Brian Wilson was not merely about surf music, rather a true musical genius toiling away at melding POP into startling sophistication. He will he be missed mightily. xx jc' — John Cale, Velvet Underground musician and producer, on X. ___ 'Brian Wilson was a musical and spiritual giant. His melodies shaped generations, & his soul resonated in every note. I was fortunate to know him; we all were blessed by his genius. Rest peacefully, Brian.' — Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, on X. ___ 'We lost one of the greatest composers and messengers who took jazz harmony, put it to a Chuck Berry beat and made a new genre of music. Some of the best singles in the world. Dennis, Carl and Brian are all together now. Other worlds to sing in.' — Randy Bachman, co-founder of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, on X. ___ 'Sadly, Brian Wilson has passed away. Songwriter, visionary. Thank you for a lifetime of wonderful melodies that spanned decades. I'm going to spend the day listening to the Beach Boys and reminiscing.' — Gene Simmons, Kiss co-founder, on X. ___ 'Brian Wilson Has Died. 'Genius' is a term used too often and too loosely. 'Tortured Genius' even more so. Brian's astonishing output of musical brilliance will bring joy while it influences generations to come. Thank you Brian and Rest In Peace.' — Paul Stanley, Kiss co-founder, on X. ___ "His falsetto voice And iconic vocal blend were the sound of our generation One of the Greatest Songwriters of our time 'God Only Knows' is a classic that has influenced us all! Surfing, cars and chicks! Thanks for the music, Brian !" — David Paich, top session keyboardist and founding member of Toto, on Instagram. ___ 'Words can't express what Brian Wilson meant to me as a songwriter. I was so fortunate to call him a friend. He was a genuine hero who taught me everything I know about music. Rest in peace, my friend.' — Christopher Cross, on X. The Associated Press
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Musical revolutionaries Sly Stone and Brian Wilson leave life's stage nearly simultaneously
Sometimes there are strange symmetries in death, as in life. The twin passings of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson this week brought that into sharp relief. Both were musical geniuses who paid a high price for their gifts. They burned bright, with art they created at their peaks that became more moving and meaningful with time, only to see their creative lights extinguished suddenly through mental health and addiction issues. Both were 82 when they died — Stone on Monday and Wilson on Wednesday. 'It's such an unsettling coincidence,' said Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor at Rolling Stone. 'These two figures, they were very different and massively influential, and each ran into a wall of their own problems in many ways. As much as they achieved, it's hard not to think that they could have done more.' Brian Wilson captured the California sound With his late brothers Carl and Dennis, Beach Boys co-founder Wilson was the architect of the California sound that captured surfing and sun, beaches and girls. Yet for all the 'Fun, Fun, Fun,' there was something much deeper and darker in Brian's abilities as a composer. It was more than disposable music for teen-agers. He had an unparalleled melodic sense, hearing sounds in his mind that others couldn't. He could worm his way into your head and then break your heart with songs like 'In My Room' and 'God Only Knows.' The tour de force 'Good Vibrations' —- had anyone ever heard of the theremin before he employed its unearthly wail? — is a symphony both complex and easily accessible. 'He was our American Mozart,' musician Sean Ono Lennon wrote on social media. The 1966 album 'Pet Sounds' was a peak. Wilson felt a keen sense of competition with the Beatles. But they had three writers, including Sean's dad, John Lennon. Wilson was largely alone, and he heard impatience and doubt from other Beach Boys, whose music he provided. He felt the pressure in trying to follow up 'Pet Sounds,' and 'Smile' became music's most famous unfinished album. Wilson, a damaged soul to begin with because of an abusive father, never reached the heights again. He descended into a well-chronicled period of darkness. Sly Stone helped assemble a new kind of musical landscape
New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Paul McCartney, Carole King and Others Pay Tribute to Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson, the leader of the Beach Boys who death at 82 was announced on Wednesday, provided a joyous soundtrack for beach vacations and summer road trips for generations of people. Among pop and rock musicians he will also be remembered as a talented songwriter and studio pioneer whose music has had an immense influence for decades on those who followed him. The Beach Boys had 13 singles in the Billboard Top 10, with three of them reaching No. 1. Their influence on the surf rock genre and on popular music generally was recognized by the variety of people who paid respects on social media to Wilson on Wednesday. Here's what some of Wilson's friends had to say about his death and legacy. Paul McCartney, a Wilson contemporary, noted that there was a chorus of tributes from other musicians, saying Wilson had a 'mysterious sense of musical genius' that made his songs special. 'The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time,' McCartney said. 'I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, 'God Only Knows.'' Carole King, also a contemporary, wrote on Facebook that Wilson was her friend and brother in songwriting. 'We shared a similar sensibility, as evidenced by his 4 over 5 chord under 'Aaaah!' in 'Good Vibrations' and mine under 'I'm Into Something Good,'' she said. 'We once discussed who used it first, and in the end we decided it didn't matter.' In 2015, 'Love & Mercy,' a biopic about Wilson's life starring John Cusack was released. On Wednesday, Cusack said that the 'maestro' had died, adding that the hitmaker was an open heart with two legs 'with an ear that heard the angels.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
