Brian Wilson life and biography

Brian Wilson picture, image, poster

Brian Wilson biography

Date of birth : 1942-06-20
Date of death : -
Birthplace : Inglewood, California, U.S.
Nationality : American
Category : Arts and Entertainment
Last modified : 2012-01-13
Credited as : Musician, songwriter, The Beach Boys band

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Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group.

Besides being the primary composer in The Beach Boys, he also functioned as the band's main producer and arranger. After signing with Capitol Records in mid-1962, Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen Top 40 hits including "Surfin' Safari", "Surfin' USA", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Be True to Your School", "In My Room", "Fun, Fun, Fun", "I Get Around", "Dance Dance Dance", "Help Me Rhonda", "California Girls" and "Good Vibrations". These songs and their accompanying albums were internationally popular, making The Beach Boys one of the biggest acts of their time.

In the mid-60's Wilson used his increasingly creative ambitions to compose and produce Pet Sounds, considered one of the greatest albums of all time. At this point his music was considered to rival that of "Lennon–McCartney". The intended follow up to Pet Sounds, Smile, was cancelled for various reasons, including Wilson's deteriorating mental health. Wilson's contributions to The Beach Boys diminished as the years went by, and his erratic behavior led to tensions with the band. After years of treatment and recuperation, he began a solo career in 1988 with Brian Wilson, the same year that he and The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since then he has toured for the first time in decades with a new band and released acclaimed albums such as a reworked version of Smile in 2004, for which Wilson won a Grammy Award for "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire)" as Best Rock Instrumental, That Lucky Old Sun, and Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin.

In 2008, Rolling Stone magazine published a list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time", and ranked Wilson number 52.He is an occasional actor and voice actor, having appeared in television shows, films, and other artists' music videos. On December 16th 2011, a 50th Anniversary Reunion was announced and Brian returned to The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson remains a member of the Beach Boys corporation, Brother Records Incorporated.

In the mid-sixties, Brian Wilson was the ultimate singer's songwriter, composing the California-dream hits sung by the Beach Boys' main lead vocalists, Mike Love and Brian's brother Carl. But Brian's own high, bright tenor was often the top voice in the group's intricate surf-angel harmonies, and when he stepped out front, the vulnerable tremor that came with his plaintive falsetto made songs like "Don't Worry Baby" and the Pet Sounds jewel "Caroline, No" sound like profound melancholy. Brian's singing was "adult and childlike at the same time," said John Cale. "It was difficult for me not to believe everything he said." Art Garfunkel describes that voice as "this unique, crazy creation, a mix of rock & roll and heartfelt prayer" — a magic still heard in Brian's solo shows and on his latest album, That Lucky Old Sun.

In the October 2011 issue of Rolling Stone, Jardine told the magazine that the group with Wilson would reunite in 2012 for 50 U.S. dates and 50-60 overseas dates. Mike Love stated that during the summer of 2011, the band reunited to re-record their hit, "Do it Again" which will be made into a music video to promote the world tour. Love had nothing but praise for Wilson saying "he sounds great, always coming up with chords, and his singing ability is still there. He hasn't lost the ability to do what he does best."

Love even said he was more excited about what the future held and together with Wilson they were writing songs again with Beach Boys sessions veteran, Eddie Bayers for a upcoming Beach Boys reunion album. Bayers commented on the new songs by Wilson by saying "Brian's new creations are just unbelievable." Wilson, on the other hand, said he didn't really like working with his former bandmates, though it all depends on they feel and how much money is involved. He concluded by saying that money is not the only reason he made records, but it does hold a place in their lives.

Discography:
-Brian Wilson (July 12, 1988)
-I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (August 15, 1995)
-Orange Crate Art (with Van Dyke Parks) (October 24, 1995)
-Imagination (June 16, 1998)
-Live at the Roxy Theatre (June, 2000)
-Pet Sounds Live (June 11, 2002)
-Gettin' in Over My Head (June 22, 2004)
-Smile (September 28, 2004)
-What I Really Want for Christmas (October 18, 2005)
-That Lucky Old Sun (September 2, 2008)
-Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin (August 17, 2010)
-In The Key Of Disney (October 25, 2011)

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