{"id":81,"date":"2026-06-21T11:24:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T04:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/?p=81"},"modified":"2026-06-21T11:24:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T04:24:19","slug":"remembering-brian-wilson-1942-2025-livingston-public-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/2026\/06\/21\/remembering-brian-wilson-1942-2025-livingston-public-library\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Brian Wilson (1942 – 2025) – Livingston Public Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remembering Brian Wilson (1942 – 2025) – Livingston Public Library<\/h1>\n
Joe O’Brien<\/div>\n
4-6 minutes<\/div>\n
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Brian Wilson, who passed away last week at age 82, was a genius of American music who made records that were both enchantingly accessible and profoundly innovative. He achieved stardom in the early 1960s as a performer, songwriter, and producer on a slew of scintillating pop\/rock hits by his band, The Beach Boys. Then by the time the band\u2019s 1966 album\u00a0Pet Sounds<\/i>\u00a0was released, his work reached a level so groundbreaking and sophisticated that none other than The Beatles were envious of his talents. Despite mental health issues that derailed his career toward the end of the \u201860s, Brian eventually returned to recording and performing, and saw his music inspire even more generations of artists and fans. If you\u2019d like to check out some of Brian Wilson\u2019s most acclaimed records, as well as notable books and films about him and his band, here is a sampling of what\u2019s available thanks to your Livingston Library card.<\/p>\n


\nMusic<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"surfin<\/p>\n

Surfin\u2019 USA<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(1963)<\/p>\n

While the title track is the only song on this album that became one of the band\u2019s greatest hits, the Beach Boys\u2019 second full-length release put them on the map and helped make surf music a nationwide phenomenon.<\/p>\n

Surfer Girl<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(1963)<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s third studio album features more surf rock classics (\u201cCatch a Wave,\u201d \u201cHawaii\u201d) as well as tender ballads (\u201cSurfer Girl,\u201d \u201cIn My Room\u201d) that foreshadow their later transition into exquisite chamber pop.<\/p>\n

All Summer Long<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(1964)<\/p>\n

Hailed by AllMusic.com<\/a>\u00a0as the best Beach Boys album of the early \u201860s, this contains summery, irresistible hits like \u201cI Get Around\u201d and \u201cLittle Honda.\u201d<\/p>\n

Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(1965)<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s highest-ever charting album in the U.S. is loaded with pop gems such as \u201cCalifornia Girls,\u201d \u201cHelp Me, Rhonda,\u201d \u201cGirl Don\u2019t Tell Me,\u201d and \u201cLet Him Run Wild.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beach Boys Party!<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(1965)<\/p>\n

Meant as a stopgap release between proper albums, this campfire-style collection of acoustically performed hits and covers has an infectious vibe that serves as a kind of precursor to MTV\u2019s \u201cUnplugged\u201d concerts of the 1990s.<\/p>\n

Pet Sounds<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(1966)<\/p>\n

Though it initially failed to impress most fans and critics,\u00a0Pet Sounds<\/i>\u00a0has since been hailed as one of the greatest pop albums of all time, thanks to tracks like \u201cWouldn\u2019t It Be Nice,\u201d \u201cGod Only Knows,\u201d and \u201cSloop John B.\u201d Paul McCartney cites this as his favorite album ever, and it strongly inspired the creation of The Beatles\u2019 landmark\u00a0Sgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band.<\/i><\/p>\n

SMiLE<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(2004)<\/p>\n

Brian\u2019s follow-up to\u00a0Pet Sounds,<\/i>\u00a0which had been abandoned in 1967 due to his mental health struggles and creative differences with his bandmates, was finally completed in 2004. Though more abstract and experimental than\u00a0Pet Sounds<\/i>, it turned out to be another majestic masterpiece.<\/p>\n

Books<\/b><\/p>\n

\"wouldnt<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys\u2019\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Pet Sounds<\/b><\/a>\u00a0by Charles L. Granata<\/p>\n

Written by Livingston\u2019s own Charles Granata, this book takes an in-depth look into the creative process and technical production of The Beach Boys\u2019 magnum opus.<\/p>\n

Pet Sounds<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0by Jim Fusilli<\/p>\n

Part of the acclaimed \u201c33 \u2153\u201d series of music books, this focuses more on the \u201cemotional core\u201d of\u00a0Pet Sounds<\/i>, and why it has stood the test of time.<\/p>\n

I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(ebook<\/a>,\u00a0audiobook<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Brian looks back on the inspirations behind his music, as well as his difficult relationship with his father, his relationships with women, and his experiences as a parent.<\/p>\n

Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0by Mark Dillon<\/p>\n

The stories behind 50 classic Beach Boys songs, told through interviews with the band\u2019s members, collaborators, peers, and fans\u2013 including Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Lyle Lovett, Matthew Sweet, and Cameron Crowe.<\/p>\n

Why the Beach Boys Matter<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0by Tom Smucker<\/p>\n

A scholarly examination of how & why the Beach Boys have left such a massive and long-lasting impact on American culture and beyond.<\/p>\n

Movies<\/b><\/p>\n

Love & Mercy<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(2014, directed by Bill Polhad)<\/p>\n

Called \u201cone of the best music biopics ever\u201d by\u00a0Rolling Stone<\/i>, this film portrays Brian at the beginning of his career (as played by Paul Dano), as well as in the aftermath of his mental breakdown (played by John Cusack).<\/p>\n

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(2021, directed by Brent Wilson)<\/p>\n

This documentary features interview footage with Brian and his friend,\u00a0Rolling Stone\u00a0<\/i>editor Jason Fine.<\/p>\n

\u2013Joe, Adult Services & Acquisitions<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Remembering Brian Wilson (1942 – 2025) – Livingston Public Library Joe O’Brien 4-6 minutes Brian Wilson, who passed away last week at age 82, was a genius of American music who made records that were both enchantingly accessible and profoundly innovative. He achieved stardom in the early 1960s as a performer, songwriter, and producer on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chua-phan-loai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions\/82"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}