Relatively few albums warrant expansion into box sets that deconstruct their development with alternate takes and mixes, outtakes, and demos. But if any LP merits such treatment, it’s the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson’s 1966 masterpiece, which is widely and deservedly regarded as one of the half dozen or so best albums of the […]
In 1978, 11 years after psychological problems caused Brian Wilson to begin withdrawing from music-making, the Beach Boys recorded a Mike Love song called “Brian’s Back.” The track didn’t surface until 1979 (as a single’s B side) and wasn’t widely heard until two decades later, but even if it had been released immediately, the message […]
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Book & Music Reviews: A Biography of Joe Meek, England’s Counterpart to Phil Spector, plus Bobby Lee Trammell, the Rain Parade, and Brian Wilson In the intro to a new biography of Joe Meek, author Darryl W. Bullock notes that recent years have witnessed heightened interest in the career of the music producer and songwriter. […]
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Brian Wilson was touring again, and I had to be there. It was a sad affair. He could barely move; they had to help him on stage. And singing, forget about it. It was more of a rough growl. And his bass guitar, I suspect the soundman had it turned off. The best he could […]
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