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Endless summer: how Brian Wilson soundtracked California
The late Beach Boys musician created a sound that became synonymous with the state’s breezy, laidback vibe
In this rock’n’roll era just before the Beatles shook up the US, surf culture had gone mainstream via films (the Annette Funicello-Frankie Avalon vehicle Beach Party) and music (the ferocious guitarist Dick Dale, quirky hits like the Surfaris’ Wipe Out). And his magnum opus, Pet Sounds, while not explicitly about California, built on Phil Spector’s lush, Los Angeles-recorded creations and created a blueprint for the kaleidoscopic pop productions, including the Beach Boys’ own 1968 LP Friends. On a broader scale, Wilson’s songs have permeated pop culture in comedy and drama films (Happy Feet, Good Morning, Vietnam, The Big Chill) and TV shows (The Bear, WandaVision, Ted Lasso).
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