Billie Joe Armstrong has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Brian Wilson by releasing a cover of the Beach Boys’ classic hit “I Get Around”.
Following the sad news of Wilson’s passing at the age of 82, the Green Day frontman shared his punk rock rendition of the 1964 track on Instagram. Armstrong revealed that he had recorded the cover “a few years ago” but had never previously released it.
“Thank you Brian Wilson,” Armstrong wrote in his tribute post. “I recorded a cover of ‘I Get Around’ a few years ago, never got to share it. One of my all-time favourite songs ever.”
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The cover transforms the Beach Boys’ sunny California pop anthem into a high-energy punk track, featuring Armstrong’s signature guitar work while maintaining the infectious melody of the original.
Armstrong joins a growing list of musicians who have honoured Wilson since his death. As per Rolling Stone, Sting performed a cover of “God Only Knows” at a concert in Germany, prefacing his performance by saying, “Today, one of my heroes died, Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. So I want to sing a song that I love.”
Other rock legends have shared their own tributes to the Beach Boys co-founder and principal songwriter. Bruce Springsteen acknowledged Wilson’s influence on his own music, stating, “If there’d been no Beach Boys, there would have been no ‘Racing In The Street’.”
Paul McCartney expressed his admiration, writing, “I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while,” while Bob Dylan reflected, “Heard the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I’ve been listening to him and admiring his genius.”
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Wilson’s family announced his passing in a statement, saying, “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realise that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
While no cause of death was provided, it had been revealed earlier this year in February 2024 that Wilson had been battling dementia.
Wilson’s musical legacy spans over six decades, during which he revolutionised studio recording techniques and created some of the most influential pop compositions of all time, including masterpieces like ‘Pet Sounds’ and “Good Vibrations”.
