The Week the Music Died... Brian Wilson gone at 82
- Thread starter pourcyne
- Start date
I had a conversation with Brian Wilson once.
There had just been a tsunami killing thousands and he had this charity where you donated a certain amount and he'd call you and talk to you. My friend saw it and donated but used my name because he knew I was a big fan. I kind of forgot about it then one day a few months later I picked up my phone and "Hi I'm Brian Wilson, thanks for your donation, you can ask two questoins and I'll do my best to answer." Any fans know his voice and way of speaking is very unmistakable.
I wasn't really prepared because I was kind of skeptical I was actually going to talk to him. I asked where he drew inspiration from, I hate to say I can barely remember his answer but it was something about being at peace with himself and nature. I also asked him who his favorite artist of any medium is, that it didn't have to be music, and he seemed to pause and think then very genuinely told me that Paul McCartney was the artist who inspired him most.
There had just been a tsunami killing thousands and he had this charity where you donated a certain amount and he'd call you and talk to you. My friend saw it and donated but used my name because he knew I was a big fan. I kind of forgot about it then one day a few months later I picked up my phone and "Hi I'm Brian Wilson, thanks for your donation, you can ask two questoins and I'll do my best to answer." Any fans know his voice and way of speaking is very unmistakable.
I wasn't really prepared because I was kind of skeptical I was actually going to talk to him. I asked where he drew inspiration from, I hate to say I can barely remember his answer but it was something about being at peace with himself and nature. I also asked him who his favorite artist of any medium is, that it didn't have to be music, and he seemed to pause and think then very genuinely told me that Paul McCartney was the artist who inspired him most.
I was never drawn to the Beach Boys music but I can appreciate and respect the genius of the band and of Wilson when it came to songwriting. When Paul McCartney regards you as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, you're doing something right.
Hope he rests easy.
Hope he rests easy.
The three members of the Wrecking Crew in the video are the following.
Al DeLory on tack piano. He is best known for producing Glen Campbell's 60's hits Galveston,By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Gentle On My Mind.
Lyle Ritz on upright bass. He played on hundreds of songs and was the stand-in on the ukulele for Steve Martin in the movie The Jerk.
Hal Blaine on drums. Played on over 40 songs that hit #1 on the Billboard hot 100 and country charts. Was the drummer on the six consecutive songs that won the Grammy for Record Of The Year from 1965 to 1970 and the drummer on Brian Wilson's favorite song Be My Baby by The Ronettes.
Many other Wrecking Crew members played on Good Vibrations as well:
Carol Kaye on bass guitar. She will be inducted into the Rock 'N Roll hall of fame later this year,
Plas Johnson on piccolo and clarinet. He is best known for playing the sax solo on The Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini. Kaye and Johnson are still with us.
