Learn: Home » CrutchfieldAdvisor Presents Brian Wilson's SMiLE
LP: Having worked so closely with Brian, what are your thoughts on why he had, up until this point, set himself up to be misinterpreted?
DS: Well, you know him. The environment that Brian creates has a lot to do with the fact that he carries with him a childlike innocence and spontaneity. That is one facet to his brilliance and yet he is like a savant. You have to care for and nurture that quality because he brings out a protective nature in those around him. Over the years, he has revealed that sort of powerful dichotomy of being vulnerable, yet extremely powerful at the same time.
LP: That is a dangerous combination.
DS: It opens him up to people who are ready to swoop in and take full advantage. I mean face it, over the years he has been exposed to a litany of leeches and plenty of people ready to exploit him and his gift. Even folks with the best of intentions do things that are ego-driven and much of the personal tragedy in Brian's life seems to have been born out of insecurity.
LP: That motif of insecurity also translates into what draws people to his music as well.
DS: Oh yeah. I mean, I was around 12 when I first really turned on to The Beach Boys and the neighborhood boys would pick on me and at times I would get physically beaten up by these guys because it was not cool to like The Beach Boys at the time. The point being, it is that grade-school mentality and as I look back I can see that the only reason those guys did what they did was because deep-down they were somehow feeling inadequate in their lives. Their only outlet for power was found in putting other people down.
At the time that this was happening, it was obviously painful. So, what would I do but return to my room and listen to more of the music. That was what made me feel better about the situation and about being put down. What is really fascinating to me in hindsight is that the people I am most connected with these days are those who are also the most independent and free-thinking. They aren't too concerned with what other people think and because of that they have fully-formed personalities and character. It made me realize that at that point when I was faced with adversity and could have easily caved to peer-pressure, I just said I don't care what they think.
I love this music and it was at that formative age in my early teens that I started developing the attitude that I was no longer concerned about what other people thought. I like what I like and that is that. In a very personally and profound way, when I think about it now — well, it can kind of freak me out. I'll be on stage playing and then I'll look over at Brian and have this thought that not only has he influenced me musically, but he has also affected my personality and shaped it into who I am today.
LP: The correlation is definitely there. It especially translated into your work with The Wondermints and as the Musical Director of The Brian Wilson Band.
DS: Well as I mentioned earlier, Brian's band started off with Joe Thomas putting everyone together as a touring unit. It turned out as The Wondermints with some of the Chicago players.
LP: Speaking of which, let's go through the line-up. First off, who are in The Wondermints?
DS: Well, The Wondermints were a band before we hooked up with Brian comprised of me (I sing, play keyboards, and percussion); Nick Walusko (guitar/vocals); Mike D'Amico (drums/percussion); and Probyn Gregory (guitar/brass/keyboards/vocals). Then from Chicago are Bob Lizik (bass), Jimmy Hines (percussion/vocals), Scott Bennett (vocals/keyboards/percussion), Taylor Mills (vocals/percussion) and Paul Mertens (woodwind/brass). And finally there is Jeff Foskett who was a member of the touring Beach Boys during the 80's.
DS: Well, you know him. The environment that Brian creates has a lot to do with the fact that he carries with him a childlike innocence and spontaneity. That is one facet to his brilliance and yet he is like a savant. You have to care for and nurture that quality because he brings out a protective nature in those around him. Over the years, he has revealed that sort of powerful dichotomy of being vulnerable, yet extremely powerful at the same time.
 Publicity photo of Brian Wilson for the SMiLE tour. |
LP: That is a dangerous combination.
DS: It opens him up to people who are ready to swoop in and take full advantage. I mean face it, over the years he has been exposed to a litany of leeches and plenty of people ready to exploit him and his gift. Even folks with the best of intentions do things that are ego-driven and much of the personal tragedy in Brian's life seems to have been born out of insecurity.
LP: That motif of insecurity also translates into what draws people to his music as well.
DS: Oh yeah. I mean, I was around 12 when I first really turned on to The Beach Boys and the neighborhood boys would pick on me and at times I would get physically beaten up by these guys because it was not cool to like The Beach Boys at the time. The point being, it is that grade-school mentality and as I look back I can see that the only reason those guys did what they did was because deep-down they were somehow feeling inadequate in their lives. Their only outlet for power was found in putting other people down.
At the time that this was happening, it was obviously painful. So, what would I do but return to my room and listen to more of the music. That was what made me feel better about the situation and about being put down. What is really fascinating to me in hindsight is that the people I am most connected with these days are those who are also the most independent and free-thinking. They aren't too concerned with what other people think and because of that they have fully-formed personalities and character. It made me realize that at that point when I was faced with adversity and could have easily caved to peer-pressure, I just said I don't care what they think.
I love this music and it was at that formative age in my early teens that I started developing the attitude that I was no longer concerned about what other people thought. I like what I like and that is that. In a very personally and profound way, when I think about it now — well, it can kind of freak me out. I'll be on stage playing and then I'll look over at Brian and have this thought that not only has he influenced me musically, but he has also affected my personality and shaped it into who I am today.
LP: The correlation is definitely there. It especially translated into your work with The Wondermints and as the Musical Director of The Brian Wilson Band.
DS: Well as I mentioned earlier, Brian's band started off with Joe Thomas putting everyone together as a touring unit. It turned out as The Wondermints with some of the Chicago players.
LP: Speaking of which, let's go through the line-up. First off, who are in The Wondermints?
DS: Well, The Wondermints were a band before we hooked up with Brian comprised of me (I sing, play keyboards, and percussion); Nick Walusko (guitar/vocals); Mike D'Amico (drums/percussion); and Probyn Gregory (guitar/brass/keyboards/vocals). Then from Chicago are Bob Lizik (bass), Jimmy Hines (percussion/vocals), Scott Bennett (vocals/keyboards/percussion), Taylor Mills (vocals/percussion) and Paul Mertens (woodwind/brass). And finally there is Jeff Foskett who was a member of the touring Beach Boys during the 80's.
