20. June 1942 (to Murry and Audree Wilson of Hawthorne, Ca.)- This is a dumb angel gazette

Brian Douglas Wilson has a special place in my heart. Although there is such sadness at the heart of
his story there is also much triumph and joy.

Many musicians set out to make the greatest album of all time- but only Brian can be said to achieved it with Pet Sounds. But he also achieved his other ambition to make people feel loved and happy with its music. Pet Sounds is the album which makes me feel good when no other does.
Much has been written about the long delayed follow up to ‘Pet Sounds’ ‘Smile’ so I don’t want to add too much. Just to say that even without being released for 37 years, the album has been more influential and discussed than most legally released albums. Indeed several acts have taken different aspects of what Brain was doing with Smile and ran with it. Heck there are several albums which were attempts to make sense of ‘Smile’s fragments or owe a lot to what Brian was doing (such as the Flaming Lips ‘Soft Bulletin’ High Llama’s ‘Hawaii’, Olivia Tremor Control’s ‘Dusk at the cubist castle’, Of Montreal’s ‘Gay parade’)

Of Course Brian has had the last word. Even thought it took 37 years to complete, it was still ahead of its time.

One of the main reasons I love Brian and his music so music is that he is almost an anti-rock star. While most rock music made in the 1960’s-1970’s by men was suffused with swagger, sexual (over)confidence and not a little aggression, Brian presented a gentler, most wistful vision of masculinity. He is not afraid to show vulnerability and tenderness. This may be why for many years he was unfashionable. But over time the quality of his music and productions have proved themselves.
It is interesting to note that Brian is more beloved and understood among the indie/alternative music community than he is in the mainstream. I love the fact that he was an inspiration to the Velvet Underground and Cream.

I can honestly say that seeing Brian performing. Smile is the nearest thing to a transcendental experience I have ever had. I have once sort of met Brian at a CD signing- I called up ‘God bless you’ to you and he smiled back at me.
I hope Brian knows how much love and joy his music has brought to his thousands of fans and that this love and the expectations that come with it do not overwhelm him. I hope he gets to make whatever music he wants