Summer 2015 is already shaping up to be the summer of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. Yes, we know what you’re thinking, and it is true that every summer is full of the classic California band, but this year, there’s more than nostalgia and a couple of worn LPs pushing the Wilson-mania train forward. Beyond releasing a brand-new album and embarking on an extensive tour, Love & Mercy—an incredibly creative biopic about the musical mastermind starring Paul Dano and John Cusack will hit theaters this Friday.
This spring, Best Fest celebrated Wilson with the aptly titled Brian Fest in the heart of Los Angeles. Wilson’s friends and family came together to try their hand at his gorgeous compositions and discuss the musician’s long-lasting legacy. In partnership with Love & Mercy, FLOOD went behind-the-scenes of the star-studded event to dive deeper into what makes Wilson and The Beach Boys so special in a two-part documentary series called Brian Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Life and Music of Brian Wilson.
In episode one—which you can watch below—Blondie Chaplin, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Wilson Phillips, and more talk about the power of Wilson’s music, all while The Flaming Lips perform a strange and wonderfully slowed-down rendition of “Good Vibrations.”
Stay tuned for episode two next week.
