David Leaf - God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the California Myth

Acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint material from the following sources:

Break Away by Brian Wilson and Reggie Dunbar copyright 1969 by Bri-Mur Publishing Company/BMI, administered by Wixen Music Publishing. All rights reserved.

Til I Die, Its Over Now and Still I Dream of It, Words and music by Brian Wilson. Copyright by Brother Publishing Company (BMI), administered by Wixen Music Publishing. All rights reserved.

Goodbye Surfing, Hello God! by Jules Siegel, copyright 1972 by Jules Siegel. By permission of the author.

By permission of Straight Arrow Publishers: editorial by Jann Wenner; Frank Words from Brian Wilson by Jack Rieley and Monterey Pops Closing Show by Jann Wenner; The Beach Boys: A California SagaParts One and Two by Tom Nolan (with additional material by David Felton) and Correspondence, Love Letters and Advice by Loren Schwartz; The Healing of Brother Brian by David Felton, copyright 1967, 1970, 1971, 1976 by Straight Arrow Publishers.

Beatrice from Baltimore and Teeter-Totter Love, by permission of New Executive Music.

A Child Is Father to the BandThe Return of Brian Wilson, Parts One and Two by Timothy White; Little Deuce Coup: Two Beach Boys Sail Solo by Timothy White, copyright 1976 by the Crawdaddy Publishing Company; editorial by Peter Knobler, copyright 1977 by the Crawdaddy Publishing Company.

Endless Summer Quarterly magazine interviews with Seymour Stein, Russ Titelman and Lenny Waronker 2018 by David Beard, used by permission of the author.

DISCLAIMER

What you are about to read is based on personal experience, decades of research, interviews conducted by the author and conversations with Brian Wilson, his late mother Audree, his brothers Dennis and Carl, Brians friends (from high school to today), musicians, engineers, journalists, publicists, lawyers, concert promoters and record company executives. Whether they spoke for attribution or anonymously, care has been taken to quote them accurately. As for the body of the text, the statements made and conclusions drawn are presented only as the opinion of the author.

David Leaf

June 2022

Ive been asked so many times over the years what my favourite song is. One song I always come back to is God Only Knows. When I played it, it made me cry and I dont quite know why. There are only certain pieces of music that can do that to me. There is just something so deep in it. It reaches right down in me, these little vibrations reaching your heart. It has this powerful effect, its brilliantly done. And thats the genius of Brian Wilson.

Paul McCartney,

London, January 2022

Brian and Paul, in September 2003, at the recording session for their first ever duet, A Friend Like You.

Credit: Melinda Wilson

Clockwise from upper left: Brian, Melinda, Daria, Dylan, and Delanie. Melinda is holding baby Dash. Daria: This is the day in 2009 we finalized his adoption.

Courtesy of BriMel Archives

When I met David Leaf and his (late) wife Eva on June 1, 1989, Id been dating Brian for three years. I loved the sensitive but strong soul behind the music legend but was concerned about his well-being. And thats what brought the three of us together.

At the time, I didnt even know David had written a biography about Brian that, as I came to learn, was considered something of a bible on the subject.

When I read it, I quickly understood why. From the very first page, it was clear that he deeply loved Brian and his music and, even more importantly, cared about him as a friend. As did Eva. I felt like I had met two of Brians guardian angels.

Through the years, as the four of us bonded and became closer, we shared a lot of memorable moments, both personal and professional. Eva was a bridesmaid and David an usher when Brian and I were married in 1995. And we were blessed when they said yes to being godparents to our oldest child, Daria Rose.

In terms of Brians career, David was and is a tireless champion. I watched as they worked on the award-winning, groundbreaking Good Vibrations and Pet Sounds box sets. We watched and cheered as Brian returned to the spotlight, like when he inducted the Bee Gees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Brians first 1999 solo tour, one of the most thrilling and nerve-wracking weeks ever. Of course, the first Pet Sounds tour was another massive milestone.

Unforgettable is the only word for the tribute to Brian that David and Chip Rachlin conceived. Phil Ramone, and so many generous and legendary artists, along with a gigantic production team, brought their dream to life at Radio City Music Hall in March of 2001. The following year, we celebrated Brians participation at the Queens Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace.

We shared many powerful moments, and youll learn about them and much more in the new chapters of this book. But perhaps the most remarkable turning point came in 2004. Looking back, it now seems miraculous.

When I first met Brian, I had never heard of SMiLE. By the time we reached London in February of 2004, as the world premiere of Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE approached, I had been riding an emotional roller coaster with Brian, as you can see in Beautiful Dreamer, Davids masterful documentary on SMiLE.

Finally finishing SMiLE seemed to clear away so much of the baggage of Brians past, and it set him on a new course of making lots of great new music. What a blessing for his fans and those who love him as an artist.

As our family grew and Davids career as a filmmaker bloomed, the bonds between us never faded. So as Brians eightieth birthday approached, David thought a new edition of this book would be the perfect gift to honor Brian and everything hes done in the years since we all first met.

Unbelievably, thats now over thirty years ago. Just as amazing is this new edition of the book, in which David brings back to life the thrilling events we experienced along our journey.

Davids always been a fascinating storyteller, and Brian is his favorite subject, as youll read in the original text from his book. And I share the joy he brings to the telling of all thats happened since his book was last published in 1985.

We can all read about the behind-the-scenes moments that helped Brian, in the twenty-first century, reclaim his place as one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century.

Thank you again, David. Your writing about my husband always hits me right in the heart.

Melinda Wilson

Beverly Hills, Spring 2022

I have never been as close to Brian Wilson as I would have liked to have been.

A distant admirer? Certainly! Someone I feel I have grown up with? Definitely!

My life growing up in Australia with its white beaches and huge surf was always in front of me. Saturated in Beach Boys and Brian Wilsons magical falsetto.

The first time I ever heard his music was when I was walking down a street in Glebe, Sydney, and I heard for the first time a song called I Get Around, which made me feel for the first time in my life, insignificant!