Episode 117
The Real Brian Wilson & Accessing an Artist’s Path Far Beyond the Beach featuring David Leaf
At the age of 19, David Leaf created a To-Do list:
1) Write about Brian Wilson
2) Become his friend
3) Help him finish SMILE.
Mission accomplished.
You may know Brian as an extraordinary artist who spread surf, song and Southern California style around the world, but there is SO much more to uncover.
David has released an expanded version of his seminal tome entitled ‘God Only Knows” The Story of Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the California Myth,’. First published in 1978, and updated in 1985, the story continues to unfold and this definitive opus has been extensively bookended with what amounts to an entirely bonus book of Brian Lore.
David joins us for an in-depth conversation, digging into Brian Wilson's artistry and influences as we explore his relationships with family, fellow Beach Boys + the triumphant hero’s journey of 'SMiLE’.