Photo by John R. Welsh
Speaking of “This Whole World” and the Sunflower era, in early-1970, right before Sunflower came out. Mike (Love) couldn’t go on the road with the band, for whatever reason, and Carl asked you to come out and do four or five shows with the band to fill out the lineup.
Right.
Do you remember those gigs?
Yeah. I remember we had a great time. We did shows in the evening.
Yeah. Seattle was one of them. It was a Pacific Northwest run. Did it feel weird being back on the road with them?
It didn’t feel weird, it just felt different.
What do you remember about returning to the stage with the band that November (November 4th, 1970) for their appearance at the Whisky (a Go Go)?
It was quite a kick, ‘cause it was in Los Angeles and that’s our hometown, y’know? So, we were proud to play for our hometown. I remember how I really looked to Mike to sing a good bass line, ‘y’know? And the other guys were with me in the higher register. So, I just remember each guy had his own part, and quite a thrill to hear.
One of the most beloved tracks on Pet Sounds is “Sloop John B.“—which, depending on who you talk to, you didn’t want included on Pet Sounds, but caved under record company pressure to include it. Clear it up once and for all did you want “Sloop John B. on Pet Sounds?
I wanted it to be a single but when they said ‘album,’ I said ‘fine,’ that was okay with me. I said it would help the album. Y’know, it would help it sell and it would fit perfectly.
Your life his been so public—your issues, your problems, and now especially after the release of the ( Love & Mercy ) biopic, it’s at the point where you can talk freely about the mental illness and the troubles you’ve had. I know you really don’t know any other way, but how did it feel to live a life where your personal ups and downs were so closely scrutinized?
Well, (having my story told) felt realistic and like an achievement to me.
With the autobiography coming out this fall ( I Am Brian Wilson on October 11th, 2016), has it been tough going over your past once again?
Yeah, it was like therapy. It was, like, reliving some of my life.
I know you listen to a lot of oldies radio. What goes through your mind when a Beach Boys tune pops out of the speakers?
When I hear “California Girls” it inspires me a lot. Y’know, they were cut fresh and the vocals were timeless, y’know what I mean? In, like, 200 years from now, you could play a Beach Boys record, or a Phil Spector record, or a Rolling Stones record and it’ll sound just as fresh.
Who do you listen to now? Like, when McCartney puts out a new record, do you get it?
I sure do! I listen to The Doors, and ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s music.
Back in 2004 you completed the Smile album for performance and eventual release. How did the attention to that music and the love and praise heaped upon you affect your state of mind?
It changed my personal life a lot ‘cause it gave me confidence that I could create an album that beautiful. It gave me some confidence.
With Blondie Chaplin back in the band, some of the more casual fans are taking a closer look into the Beach Boys’ early-‘70s era—a sweet spot for die-hards that has been overlooked by so many people. Over the years, you’ve taken to performing a classic tune from (1972’s) Carl & The Passions – So Tough (album), “Marcella.” Tell me what you remember about tracking that song.
Right, one of my favorites, yeah. Carl did a great job, he was really good. “Marcella,” y’know, I’m gonna tell ya, I was having mental difficulties during that time and I didn’t even know if the guys got in the studio and recorded ‘Marcella’ without me on it! So, I said, ‘I wanna be on it!’ So I overdubbed my voice on it.
What do you remember about The Beach Boys Love You, which as you know, is almost as cherished by your fans—for entirely different reasons—as Pet Sounds and Smile are?
We gave ourselves, like 10, 12 hours a day booked time, y’know? And we took our time and we weren’t in any big rush to go anywhere, so we just took our time and recorded Love You.
So now you’re now touring behind an album you literally had to quit the road to conceive and compose. Are you sick of talking about Pet Sounds ?
No, no, no. I love to, ‘cause it’s probably one of the best albums we ever did.
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