Beach Boys Co-Founder Brian Wilson’s Death is a Major Loss for Rock and Music in General

Earlier today, the world was shocked to learn that one of the most influential individuals in modern music, Brian Wilson, had passed away at 82 years old. As a founding member of the Beach Boys, his work not only as a songwriter and musician, but as a producer and arranger as well changed the way we all heard music.

News of his passing was made public by his family, who posted the following on social media:

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family (is) grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”

Now, I know we’re going to get a lot of “this isn’t metal” comments on this one, but that type of sentiment couldn’t be more short-sighted and wrong. Sure, the Beach Boys were not metal. Brian Wilson never sported a battle vest, nor did he ever get Slayer tattooed on his ass or whatever criteria exists these days to call yourself “metal”. But his genius transcends surf rock and pop music. Go listen to the mix in Pet Sounds and tell me the man didn’t know what he was doing.

But his contribution to music extended more than just the songs he helped write, arrange, and produce on Pet Sounds. His musical prowess and recording techniques were so innovative that they shaped the way music sounded for decades. As what many people consider the progenitor of that classic California sound that was so pervasive throughout the ’60s, he was also lauded for being one of the first producers of his kind to use the studio and mixing equipment as instruments themselves.

All of that is not to say that his works didn’t influence metal and metal artists over the decades. You can hear the Beach Boys sound and Wilson’s influence in things like: Mr. Bungle (especially in California) and Ghost (eg. “Ghuleh/Zombie Queen”). And even if the influence isn’t heard directly in the music, many metal artists grew up listening to The Beach Boys, like Testament’s Chuck Billy. Void Rot’s John Hancock pointed to Pet Sounds as an influential album.

Right now, tributes from today’s artists and legendary acts alike are pouring in as word of Wilson’s passing continues to spread. All genres are represented because Wilson’s contribution to music transcended genre. It was a feeling — an experience that we all got to have.

On a personal note, The Beach Boys represent the sound of youth. Having grown up on the Jersey Shore, summers were beaches, they were boardwalks, they were backyard barbecues with friends and family. And summers were almost always time for The Beach Boys. I have memories of doing cannonballs into the pool while “Good Vibrations” played on the patio. I vividly remember hearing “Surfin’ U.S.A.” on New Jersey 101.5’s Big Joe Henry program as we drove to Seaside Heights. I remember falling in love again with “God Only Knows” after hearing the barbershop quartet version in Bioshock Infinite.

I know I’m not the only one with similar memories like this, and that’s because Brian Wilson, and really The Beach Boys as a whole, embodied easier times, even though he personally didn’t have an easy life. It was the sonic representation of an America we all wish we could live in and enjoy — one where all anyone had to worry about was when we were going to be with our friends and soak up the sun. One where you can love who you want and daydream about getting older with them. They were happiness, fun, love… everything we all as humans should hope to attain one day.

Music lost a titan today. Metal or not, Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys in general shaped music for decades to come. May he rest in peace. We offer our condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time.

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