Brian Wilson Discusses Fame Before Concert

By Pam Harbaugh

The King Center for the Performing Arts will be the setting for a visit by one of music's most renowned living legends, Brian Wilson.

He comes to town Monday to perform as part of his in his month-long nationwide concert tour.

In a rare interview, Wilson, the man who invented the unique Beach Boys sound, talked recently about depression, drug abuse, his life now and his favorite Beach Boys tunes.

Wilson had recently come off a summer tour to England, where he said he received standing ovations six nights in a row. Although he's been performing for more than 40 years, he still experiences pressure before a concert.

"About a half-hour before each concert, I go through a lot of emotional bulls---," he said. "I don't know if it will go over, be flat or on key. As soon as we finish singing, it's OK."

After years of abuse by his father, he was left nearly deaf in one ear, depressed and lacking self-esteem.

"I overcompensated," he said. "I felt inferior because I only had one good ear. I compensated for that inferiority, and made some superior music."

His father's continual tirades also made Wilson a perfectionist, which is reflective in the tightly produced vocal harmony. "That (perfectionism) came from my dad, saying, 'You do it right, son, do it right or don't do it at all,' " Wilson said.

So Wilson, with the Beach Boys, did 18 albums right. In 1966 alone, he helped create two of America's greatest pop albums, "Pet Sounds" and "Good Vibrations." In all, the hit albums produced more than 30 hit singles.

It started with "Surfin' Safari," and continued through a host of surfing music. Ironic, because Wilson is afraid of the water.

"We recorded 'Good Vibrations' in 1966," Wilson said. "We used a cello and an instrument that sounded like a siren. It was a very innovative record. We recorded in five different studios. It cost about $10,000. In those days, that was a lot of money.

"Now, we record songs in a half hour sometimes," he said. "Nowadays we have computer and pro tools to help get the pitch of singers absolutely perfect and to sequence one part of the song."

Before Wilson set out to write a song, he needed inspiration. Which became a personal problem.

To get into the mood, "I popped a lot of drugs," he said. "LSD, marijuana, amphetamines. It helped me create music, but made me feel spacey and out of it."

And, it led to his drifting into decades of depression and mental illness.

"I had some of that," he admitted. "I pulled through it. It taught me that when you feel all messed up in your head, keep a strong positive attitude and try to get through it."

Now, he's proud to be a role model for people dealing with drug addiction and that his music can help people deal with depression. "I'm glad to be able to help," he said.

He's also happy to have put his life back on a musical path.

"I get that from some of my family and some of my friends," he said. "All 10 members of the band are happy to see me back in action."

In 1995, he married Melinda Ledbetter. Soon after, daughters Daria and Delanie came into their lives. Now, life in his Beverly Hills home is about family, music and good health.

"I get up in the morning, go to breakfast at a delicatessen near my house," he said. "About 7 a.m. I have fish and salad. I tried to give up that red meat for a while. You feel a little bit better when you do that.

"Then, 8 a.m., I start writing songs, try to write melodies. Until 9:30 or 10 in the morning. Then I exercise, then see the kids when then come home from school. I hang out, have dinner and go to bed."

He rarely goes anywhere without people recognizing him and asking for autographs. But he doesn't mind, he said, "I love signing autographs."

His most recent release, "SMiLE," began 38 years ago and became legendary before it was even finished. There were stories of his despairing over not measuring up to the Beatles, who, when they came on the scene in the mid-'60s, stole thunder from the Beach Boys.

And there was a story that he had destroyed everything associated with the album. Eventually, though, Wilson's wife and manager convinced him to go back to "SMiLE." The recording was released in September.

"People were ready for it," he said. "It's a teenage happy symphony to God."

The rest of his U.S. tour takes him to the West Coast. Then, he goes to Australia, and then, the recording studio.

Asked what his favorite Beach Boys songs were, he answered quickly:

"California Girl," "Surfer Girl," "Be True to Your School," "Help Me Rhonda" and "In Your Room."

But they were all winners.

"Every time I go to write a Beach Boys song, I used to say 'Ah, we're in for a No. 1 record.' "