The longtime manager of Brian Wilson sits down for an impromptu chat with features writer Luke Georgiades, to discuss the enduring legacy of The Beach Boys’ co-founder, and his lost recordings with Frank Ocean and Lana Del Rey.
I first worked with Brian on his Imagination record for Giant Records. I did PR for a couple years and ended up co-managing him for 29 years and I still work with the estate. Brian was intense. People were nervous around him. He was such an icon. But he was really sweet, and really funny. Many people didn’t know just how funny and generous he was. Everybody who was in his presence knew they were around somebody special. There weren’t a lot of people like Brian—they really broke the mold when they made him.
He’s the guy responsible for bringing a lot of people to California. He brought the California sunshine to the rest of the world. I think I remember a quote from Billy Corgan where he said that “California should be paying residuals to Brian Wilson” [laughs]. He wrote all those songs about fun in the sun, but then gave us youth and heartbreak with Pet Sounds. He was ahead of his time.
He and the Beatles were in competition with each other. Brian called it a “mutual admiration society.” Rubber Soul inspired Pet Sounds. The Beatles answered Pet Sounds with Sgt. Pepper. He and Paul McCartney —they loved and respected each other. They inspired each other. I mean, there are only so many musical geniuses in the world, right?
He came from a messed up childhood. His dad was abusive. He had a lot of ups and downs. But he got through that. He had his brothers and his music. He had a lot of guardian angles looking out for him. Friends, his 2nd wife Melinda. A lot of people saw his movie Love & Mercy (2014), which showed a couple versions of his life. It really spells it out. He loved that film, he thought Paul Dano and John Cusack did really great jobs portraying him in 2 different times of his life. He was proud of that. There’s a documentary we did with him called Long Promise Road (2019). It’s Brian riding around in a car with his buddy and at the time Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine visiting old haunts and telling stories. He gets very very personal. It’s really wonderful and we still hear from people about how much they enjoyed seeing that special side of him.
He changed my life. Working with Brian all those years really changed my life. I was able to go on tour with him all around the world and meet so many amazing and interesting people. Because everyone wanted to meet him wherever we went. I was lucky to be a part of it all. My daughter grew up with him—getting on stage as a kid and playing tambourine during Surfin’ USA at the Hollywood Bowl, who gets to do that at 8 years old! He was a complicated guy, as most artists are, whether it’s an actor, a painter or musician. But on the other hand, he was just a guy. He loved a good steak. He liked to have his oatmilk cookie. He LOVED room service. He really loved his band. He loved being with the guys. It was sad when he had to stop touring. We toured Pet Sounds for years—we could still be touring Pet Sounds. We could go anywhere in the world and every person who didn’t speak English knew every word to every song. Brian’s sound was universal. It found its home anywhere and everywhere.
After Pet Sounds he did finished Smile, and it was intense. Back in the 1960s he was doing all kinds of crazy stuff, and he shelved the album for about 35 years. He eventually went back to it and won his first and only Grammy (Best Rock Instrumental) which is so ironic. His Grammy has nothing to do with vocal harmonies. It was a massive accomplishment for him. He did another album called Lucky Old Sun, which came out on Capitol Records, and that’s a very California, fun album—but he also starts it out with a beautiful Negro spiritual that he added sunshine to. It was a cool journey. Everything he did was conceptual. Remember, Good Vibrations was recorded in five different recording studios again WAY ahead of his time.
Jeff [Bridges] and Brian loved each other. Every time I saw Brian he asked how Jeff was doing and vice versa with Jeff. Brian loved him. I have pictures from my 40th Birthday. Jeff had just gotten off the set of Iron Man and he drove down to my party. Jeff had his widelux with him, and there are some great shots Jeff took of Brian. They were great together. Total love and respect. I’ve been with them almost the same amount of time. I’ve had the pleasure to work with two of America’s brilliant artists and both southern California boys.
Brian was aware of his impact, and he knew he had a responsibility, too, to live up to that. He inspired everyone, so many musicians and artists. We would see anyone from Billy Idol, Metallica, Springsteen at our shows. We got a request from Tyler the Creator once, My Morning Jacket.. Patti Smith, The Ramones. So many artists of all types really loved and respected him. Nobody really knows this, but I believe we have a track with Frank Ocean that never came out. We’ve got it somewhere. He did a track with Lana Del Rey, too. The list goes on and on. If you listen to the track ‘Love & Mercy’, his solo song that the film is named after, it’s exactly what the world needs to hear right now. He knew that he had created something irreversibly important, special and impactful.
