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Brian Wilson (1942 - 2025) RIP

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Artwork Details

Title:	Brian Wilson (1942 - 2025) RIP
Artist:	None Specified
Media Type:	Photograph
Art Type:	Photograph
For Sale Status:	N/A
Views:	59
Likes on CAF:	7 8
Comments:	4
Added to Site:	6/12/2025
Comic Art Archive:

Description

I had intended to post this the day Brian Wilson passed. But honestly, I was just so intimidated by the idea of trying to come up with the right words to do him justice. Ultimately, anything I write in this space will fall short. I imagine it would have been the same for me when John Lennon was killed. But there was no CAF back then, no social media, no internet, no cell phones. It wasn’t yet possible to share our grief on such a large scale. Now we live in a time when the world can mourn together. And we should all mourn for the passing of Brian Wilson. It is in that spirit that I attempt to honor the man. Regardless of how inadequately.

To say that Brian Wilson was a music giant, while accurate, would also be an almost criminal over-simplification and the understatement of all understatements. He was a musician, a singer, a songwriter, and a wizard in the recording studio. In short, a creative genius. He wasn’t just a member of The Beach Boys, he WAS the Beach Boys. He was solely responsible for their music, their songs, their sound, their identity, and thereby their success. During the British invasion of the 60’s, the Beach Boys were one of the few musical acts to not only withstand it, but actually thrive in the onslaught. Sadly, he was also as tortured as he was brilliant. And ultimately could not overcome his personal demons. After all of the band’s success in the 60’s, Wilson spent the better part of the next five decades battling mental health, addiction, and substance abuse issues. While he made occasional comebacks with songwriting, recording and even performing, he was never, ever the same.

Now it would be easy enough to just write this off as another “Behind The Music” sad ending story. But how CAN you when you think of all the great music Brian Wilson left behind? How can anyone put on a Beach Boys record and not think that it’s some of the happiest songs you’ve ever heard? So simplistic in their joy, yet so brilliant and sophisticated in their conception. That’s the genius of Brian Wilson. And while we all mourn, that’s also what we celebrate. Rest in peace Brian.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the passing of Sly Stone. His band Sly & The Family Stone are responsible for hits like "Dance to the Music", "Family Affair", "Thank You", and of course the classic "Everyday People". RIP

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About the Owner

	E DLS ( 3 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	March 2005
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Premium Member Q&A E's Classifieds E's Want List Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF Read More About EDLS

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Kavi H
Member Since 2018

Posted on 6/12/2025

Sad day yesterday for music and pop culture at large with the loss of Brian Wilson, what a legend. His voice and music will live on for many generations to come. Beach Boys was my first concert/show when I was a very young kid that parents took me to. It was already the 90s though and well past their glory days but I'm still very glad I had that experience. Great tribute, RIP.

Mitch Itkowitz
Member Since 2006

Posted on 6/12/2025

Brian composed arguably the greatest pop/rock song ever...Good Vibrations, which happens to be one of my top 3 favorite songs.

Rest in Peace, Brian.

E DLS
Member Since 2005

Posted on 6/12/2025

Mitch Itkowitz wrote:

Brian composed arguably the greatest pop/rock song ever...Good Vibrations, which happens to be one of my top 3 favorite songs.

Rest in Peace, Brian.

What a great choice. Good Vibrations is an EPIC achievement in music recording, studio production, and engineering. It took something like 8-9 months to produce, utilizing four different recording studios, over 30 additional musicians (aside from the band), and almost 100 hours of recorded tape. That, in and of itself, is staggering. But even more so when you consider the finished product is only about 3 ½ minutes long.

So yeah, it's easy enough to call Brian Wilson a genius. But really we need to come up with a new word that describes ONLY him and his singularly unique brilliance.

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

Posted on 6/12/2025

Sly deserves his own post. He's a Bay Area guy.

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