The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Brian Wilson helps spread good cheer
The musical genius known as the architect of The Beach Boys’ California sound wants to celebrate Christmas with you. He’s flying across the country to make it happen; you just have to meet him at Wallingford’s Toyota Oakdale Theatre.
That’s where Brian Wilson will be on Saturday, Dec. 8. The show is called “Brian Wilson Presents The Christmas Album Live.” He’ll be backed by vocalists and his band, including Beach Boy Al Jardine (who sings lead on “Help Me Rhonda”) and Blondie Chaplin.
Wilson, beloved for his role in such hits as “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” was sidelined by back surgery earlier this year. But the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer (also known for “I Get Around”) is definitely getting around now. He’s performing on his piano — generally a white Yamaha CLP-565 — all over the East Coast.
Fans in Wallingford can expect to hear such classics as “Little Saint Nick” and “The Man with All the Toys.” The concert will also include cuts from the Grammy Award winner’s solo Christmas album and other holiday favorites.
Though Wilson, 76, is always genuine, he can be a bit quiet at times. When we asked about his music and the show in a recent phone interview, it went like this:
Q: Where are you now?
A: I am in California, in Beverly Hills.
Q: Are you doing anything special today?
A: I’ll be watching the news.
Q: Looking out for anything in particular? A: I just like the news.
Q: What do you recall about recording the original “Beach Boys’ Christmas Album”?
A: I don’t remember. It’s been too long to remember.
Q: It was June of 1964. Was it weird doing Christmas songs in the summer?
A: No, we had fun.
Q: Do you have a favorite song from it?
A: I like “Little Saint Nick.”
Q: What is your alltime favorite Christmas song and why?
A: “White Christmas,” by Bing Crosby.
Q: Will the concert be only Beach Boys songs, or will there be some surprises?
A: There will be some surprises. We don’t know yet.
Q: I understand Al Jardine recorded his first lead vocal (“Christmas Day”) on “The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album,” and he’s with you on this tour. What is it like to still be performing with a guy you’ve known since high school?
A: It’s still a thrill for me to work with him. He’s a great singer.
Q: What can the audience expect?
A: “Pet Sounds” and Christmas songs.
Q: Some of your music, especially the harmonies, sounds so perfect to me, it feels like the songs must have already existed in some heavenly place and then came into the world through you. Does that sound crazy, or do you ever feel that way, too?
A: I feel that way, too.
Q: Can you expand on that?
A: No I can’t.
Q: Details about your many accomplishments are shared on the theater’s website. It says, “In a culture where trends change overnight, Wilson has gone the distance. It’s been said that if music is math, then Wilson just might be Einstein.” How does it make you feel when you see something like that?
A: It makes me proud.
Q: Anything else you want to say to fans?
A: I hope they like “Pet Sounds.”