Here's the complete interview:
DON'T WORRY, BABYEverything has turned out all right for Brian WilsonPosted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/6/07
BY MARK VOGER
STAFF WRITER
"The Wilson brothers, Dennis and Brian, and their cousin Mike Love heeded the ocean sounds near their Southern California home and wrote a song, 'Surfin'.' The Beach Boys were created and surfing music made the best-seller lists. These three plus another Wilson, guitarist Carl, and a schoolmate, bassist Al Jardine, will be at Convention Hall here for swinging sessions at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m Saturday night. Dennis sings and plays drums, while Mike sings and plays sax. Brian is the oldest of the brothers and has written most of their hit tunes."
-- From the July 4, 1965, Asbury Park Press
For a band whose music is so joyous, things turned out sadly for the Beach Boys in the 42 years since that blurb was published in the Press.
Dennis Wilson drowned in 1983; Carl Wilson died of cancer in 1998; Brian Wilson has suffered from depression and substance abuse.
But Brian Wilson -- architect of the Beach Boys sound --re-emerged from his dark period and has toured steadily throughout the '00s; he is scheduled to perform Saturday in Red Bank. A man of few words, Wilson spoke about depression and his relationships with the surviving Beach Boys during a telephone interview.
You toured with "Pet Sounds" and "Smile." What kind of a show can we expect this time around?
Well, you can expect some Beach Boys and some Brian Wilson.
What do you look forward to most when you go on tour?
To play for people. To make people happy.
What do look forward to the least when you're on tour?
The traveling part. Traveling is hard for me.
Do you have any favorite cities or venues to play?
I like Boston and Denver and Los Angeles. I like all the venues. I like 'em all.
How are the audiences responding at your shows?
Pretty good. We get standing ovations now and then. They seem to like us quite a bit.
Why do you think that is?
I think the material is good. I think we perform it good. There's a nice, big 11-piece band onstage. It's pretty big and good.
Do you see younger fans in the audience?
I see a little of young, a little middle-aged, a little old. Mostly young, though.
Have you been keeping up with your exercise regimen?
Yes, I have. I exercise almost every day.
What kind of exercise are you doing?
I walk. I walk for about three miles a day, five miles a day.
Do you collect your thoughts when you walk?
Yeah. I do a little thinking and give a little pep talk to myself.
Would you recommend exercise to people?
I sure would. It's very, very good for you. It keeps your head in a good place.
What happens in a typical day in your life these days?
Mostly exercise. I spend a lot of time with my synthesizer trying to write songs and stuff like that.
And you're a granddad.
Yeah, right.
Do you enjoy that role?
Well, I don't think about it very much.
Do you still have good days and bad days?
I have good days and bad days, yeah. Some days are good, some are bad, yeah.
What might happen on a bad day?
I get depressed, a little depressed. I get through it, though.
What makes you happy? What lifts you back up?
Music. Mostly, music makes me happy.
Al Jardine joined you onstage last year. Was it a nice reunion?
Yeah. We had a good time. That was quite a sentimental experience for me.
What made him pop into your mind?
He called me, actually, and asked me if he could come on tour.
Do you ever speak with Mike Love?
No, I don't, actually. He's been suing me lately, so I don't talk to him.
In September, you'll premiere "That Lucky Old Sun (A Narrative)" in London. What can you tell us about it?
Well, it's a narrative thing. It has a series of five different narratives. The "Lucky Old Sun" song theme reoccurs five times. We do, also, a lot of original songs.
I hear you were in the studio yesterday. What were you working on?
We're working on a song called "Midnight's Another Day."
Where might we hear that?
That might be heard on the new "Lucky Old Sun" narrative thing.
How often do you go into the studio?
About once a week.
Do you have a studio in your home?
No, I don't, no. I go to another place.
Do you have an iPod?
Yes, I do.
What's on your iPod?
Uh, Bee Gees and Beatles, stuff like that.
Do you ever make song mixes on your iPod, like the young people do?
Uh, no.
What do you think of "American Idol"?
I like it. It's fun. It's a good trip.
Do you watch it often?
Not very often, no. Once a month.
Have you seen any good movies lately?
Well, I've only seen one in the last couple of years. It's called "Norbit" by Eddie Murphy.
How did you like it?
Fantastic movie. Very funny.
What's your favorite movie?
"Norbit."
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