 This "pocket
symphony," as Wilson once referred to it, has frequently been hailed (most
recently by MOJO magazine) as "The Greatest Single Of All Time."
Unfortunately, the rapturous vibes of the song did not reflect Brian Wilson's
own state of mind at the time. "I went through times that were so scary that I
wasn't sure I'd make it through," he recalls today. Artistically frustrated,
personally embattled and psychically exhausted, Brian Wilson relinquished his
role as the guiding force of the group. In the years that followed, as the
Beach Boys became one of the most popular touring acts in the world, Brian
Wilson remained a key contributor to their albums, writing some of his most
affecting work. Hit singles like "Do It Again" (20/20, 1969) and "Sail On
Sailor" (Holland, 1972), and album cuts like "Til I Die" and "Add Some Music
To Your Day" (Sunflower, 1970), further enhanced his stature in rock's
pantheon. Fans watched, however, as an increasingly troubled Brian Wilson
withdrew from the world, his creative output dwindling to precious but few
minutes of musical brilliance. Even the 1988 release of his first solo album,
Brian Wilson, which was highlighted by the sensitive single, "Love & Mercy,"
and the majestic, panoramic "Rio Grande," seemed to be less than it could have
been.
 Though
critically acclaimed and commercially successful (it reached #50 on the sales
chart) the album was hampered by controversy, specifically over therapist
Eugene Landy's unorthodox techniques in caring for Wilson. As strong as the
record was, many felt it was artistically compromised, that Brian Wilson was
not calling his own tune. With his 1995 marriage to Melinda Ledbetter, and
with the addition of daughters Daria and Delanie, Brian Wilson had begun to
make dramatic, positive changes in his life. He contributed to a number of
projects: Van Dyke Parks' album, Orange Crate Art, on which Brian sang songs
written by his old friend and Smile collaborator; the Brian Wilson documentary
profile film and soundtrack, "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times"; and The
Wilsons, an album on which Brian joined daughters Carnie and Wendy for a few
tracks and reunited with his Pet Sounds lyricist Tony Asher for "Everything I
Need."
It was the kind of
activity that gave longtime fans hope that he would again attempt a genuine solo
album on which every note and nuance was as Brian Wilson wanted it. And then it
happened. In 1998, after years of sporadic activity, Brian Wilson, working with
producer Joe Thomas, recorded the album Imagination, including songs co-written
with the likes of Carole Bayer Sager (Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better"),
J.D. Souther (Linda Ronstadt's "You're Only Lonely"), and Jimmy Buffett ("Margaritaville").
Released by Giant/Warner Bros. in September 1998, Imagination was a true event,
everything his legion of fans had come to expect from him: music that was
imaginatively conceived and movingly performed. Against all odds, Brian Wilson,
the last of the Wilson brothers (Dennis drowned accidentally in 1983 and Carl
succumbed to cancer in 1998) had indeed returned. Suddenly, excited fans were
asking, "Could Brian Wilson, who'd suffered for years from stage fright, now
handle a concert tour?" The answer was a resounding "Yes!" as Wilson embarked on
a series of public appearances and concert performances that have been, to say
the least, eagerly anticipated and avidly attended by devoted fans, many of whom
are today's hottest names in music. The sold-out shows have been glowingly
received by many media outlets, including USA Today and MTV. The Los Angeles
Times' Richard Cromelin, after witnessing Wilson's Wiltern Theatre concert,
(where he was backed by his note-perfect group of veteran sidemen which includes
members of Alternative upstarts the Wondermints), came to a conclusion that
speaks for many of us: "At the end of the evening, Wilson stood triumphant on
stage, a man who has emerged from his darkest, most paralyzing blue period to
again celebrate his music and the human spirit with his fans." After such a
breathtaking personal and professional triumph, many are wondering what the
rejuvenated Brian Wilson can possibly do for an encore.
Mr. Wilson is listed in the World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and
Entertainment.
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