Brian Wilson, co-founder of the iconic and pioneering surf music sounds of The Beach Boys has passed away. He was 82 years old.
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” his family wrote in a social media statement. “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
In the statement, the family did not provide a cause of death. However, it was reported that Wilson had been battling dementia since last year.
Famously, The Beach Boys were not avid surfers – despite their music being so intertwined with the post-Gidget California surfing movement of the sixties. The only real surfer of the band was the drummer, Dennis, the brother of fellow members Brian and Carl Wilson. (More on Dennis here.)
Related: The Story of the Beach Boy Who Actually Surfed
Nevertheless, the impact The Beach Boys had on surfing culture, through their music, was indelible. Songs like “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Wipeout,” “Surfin’ Safari,” and others encapsulated the time, and undoubtedly blasted through the primordial speakers of countless Woody Wagons, affixed with single-fins on the roof, packed with rowdy surfers, on their way down to Malibu.
And for much of their most enduring work, Wilson, who played bass for the band, was the architect behind the excellence. For instance, the 1966 masterpiece Pet Sounds sits in the number two spot on Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of All Time” list.
“Brian gave so much to the world through his music, his spirit and his strength,” Wilson’s manager Jean Sievers said in a statement. “He was a sweet, gentle soul as well as fierce competitor. There will never ever be anyone like him again. God truly broke the mold when he created Brian Wilson. Besides being a creative genius, he was one the smartest and funniest people I’ve ever known. His message of love will live on through his music forever.”
Rest in peace.
Related: History of Surfing: Destroying Amps in Five-Part Harmony