Paul McCartney has paid a moving tribute to Brian Wilson following the death of the Beach Boys legend, acknowledging the ‘musical genius’ who helped shape pop music as we know it.
McCartney shared his thoughts on social media on Thursday, expressing deep admiration for Wilson’s exceptional talent: “Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special. The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while”.
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The relationship between the Beach Boys and the Beatles defined a pivotal era of musical innovation in the 1960s, with both bands pushing each other to new creative heights. This friendly rivalry yielded some of the most influential albums in music history. Wilson’s response to the Beatles’ Rubber Soul led him to steer the Beach Boys toward more experimental territory, resulting in the creation of Pet Sounds – ranked as the second greatest album of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. This masterpiece subsequently inspired the Beatles during the creation of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
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McCartney has consistently championed Wilson’s exceptional musical abilities throughout his career, even delivering the induction speech when Wilson entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame, where he declared him ‘one of the great American geniuses’. The Beatle has also frequently cited the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” as his favourite song of all time, which he referenced poignantly at the conclusion of his tribute: ‘How we will continue without Brian Wilson, “God Only Knows”‘.
Following news of Wilson’s passing, tributes have poured in from his Beach Boys bandmates and countless artists who drew inspiration from his pioneering work. Elton John described Wilson as “the biggest influence on my songwriting ever; he was a musical genius and revolutionary. He changed the goalposts when it came to writing songs and shaped music forever. A true giant”.
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Other notable figures paying respect include Carole King, Graham Nash, Mick Fleetwood, and Nancy Sinatra, all acknowledging Wilson’s profound impact on popular music and his unparalleled legacy as a composer of what have been described as ‘teenage symphonies to God’.
