For those of us growing up in the late 1960s while “rock music” was exploding, the Beach Boys were making old fashioned music. Although they did take their genre to new heights with the quality of their songwriting, recordings, arrangements, and performances.
Brian Wilson was the musical director of the Beach Boys, and after a number of albums he decided to make full use of the best studios and session players in Los Angeles to “produce” their sound, therein setting the gold standard for the recording industry in the process.
There is no question of Brian’s genius and musical influence on the world of music, especially audible on the Beach Boys album, “Pet Sounds,” with its timeless and holy song, “God Only Knows.”
I can vouch for a lot of songwriters who pinched a thing or two from that one!
In the mid 1990s I started playing golf at Holmby Park, on the nearly 100 year-old, 18-hole “pony golf course,” next to the Los Angeles Country Club. The park has two Lawn Bowling greens and a children’s play area, and sits below the “ungodly” Spelling/Ecclestone mansion, next to what was Bing Crosby’s house. The Holmby course was saved from “lack of budget” in 1981, by donations from neighbours, Armand Hammer and Hugh Heffner!
In 2008 I researched and wrote a history of Holmby Park for the Golf Division of the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.
On a few occasions over the years I saw Brian Wilson walking laps around the park. At first he was alone, and usually in a Hawaiian shirt, but the last time I saw him in the 2010s he was in a dressing gown with support following/helping him around. As far as I saw, no one bothered him, or didn’t recognise him.
I’m sure those that did were happy to leave him in peace.
We were all hoping his walks would contribute to his long good health!
These past few years when I walk our dogs around Holmby Park, I always think of Brian.
“Requiescat in pace”
John Jones.
June 12, 2025.
@2025_johnjones.com
