(Credits: Far Out / Alamy)
The classic lineup for The Beach Boys consisted of the classic era bandleader Brian Wilson, his brothers Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love, and close friend Al Jardine. From their formation in 1961, the pioneering surf rock group became widely revered for its sonorous harmonies that seemed to reflect the familial bond between the members. In the US, their sound went mostly unrivalled through the early 1960s, but across the Atlantic, a new age for rock music was steadily brewing.
As eminent musical representatives for their respective nations, The Beach Boys and The Beatles entered into a fruitful spell of friendly rivalry that peaked in the mid-1960s. As far as most fans are concerned, The Beach Boys struck a zenith in 1966 with the arrival of their masterpiece album Pet Sounds; meanwhile, The Beatles grew from strength to strength between 1965 and ’67, blueprinting the psychedelic era with Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band.
In 2004, Brian Wilson expressed his admiration for Rubber Soul during an interview with Paste magazine. The legendary composer credited the Bob Dylan-influenced album as a major influence on his pioneering work on Pet Sounds, stating, “Rubber Soul blew my mind. I liked the way it all went together, the way it was all one thing. It was a challenge to me to do something similar. That made me want to make Pet Sounds; I didn’t want to do the same kind of music but on the same level.”
This was just the first serve in a transfixing game of tennis between the two bands. The Beatles had been aware of their American counterparts for several years and saw greatness in Wilson’s compositions even before Pet Sounds. Following the release of ‘The Little Girl I Once Knew’, Lennon offered a glowing review of the single in Melody Maker. “This is the greatest! Turn it up,” he said enthusiastically as the record turned. “Turn it right up. It’s GOT to be a hit. It’s the greatest record I’ve heard for weeks. It’s fantastic. I hope it will be a hit. It’s all Brian Wilson. He just uses the voices as instruments. He never tours or anything.”
Lennon continued, noting Wilson’s extraordinary eye for melody and song structure. “He just sits at home thinking up fantastic arrangements out of his head,” he continued excitedly. “Doesn’t even read music. You keep waiting for the fabulous breaks. Great arrangement. It goes on and on with all different things. I hope it’s a hit so I can hear it all the time.”
Following the arrival of Pet Sounds, The Beatles challenged themselves to one-up Wilson in the studio while creating subsequent marvels like ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ and ‘A Day in the Life’. In a past interview, Wilson recalled that he admitted defeat after hearing ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. “I had to pull over in my car to the side, and I said, ‘I’ve never heard anything like this in my life,’” he remembered.
On the 50th anniversary of Pet Sounds, Wilson spoke to Esquire, picking out his ten favourite albums of all time. Among his selections were Rubber Soul, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift for You, and The Rolling Stones’ psychedelic era classic Between the Buttons. These albums concur with his statement: “The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Phil Spector. Those were my idols.”
It comes as no surprise that Wilson admired Spector. The acclaimed producer and composer was responsible for some of the most influential sounds of the 1960s and eventually worked with The Beatles, orchestrating several songs on Let It Be.
It would appear that Wilson was more awed by The Beatles’ material. Still, The Rolling Stones also deeply inspired the composer with their iconic stature and unstoppable groove. “Specifically, one of the things that blew me away the most was a song called ‘My Obsession’,” Wilson once told On The Record in praise of Between the Buttons. “I couldn’t believe that record. It had one of the most unbelievable grooves on a record that I’ve ever heard in my life.”
