#david leaf

This episode, we’re enormously privileged to welcome award winning filmmaker and author, David Leaf, to discuss his latest book, SMiLE: The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Brian Wilson. This celebratory work takes us to the very heart of Brian Wilson’s lost musical masterpiece; its traumatic unravelling in 1967, and the road to a triumphant rebirth in 2004 as an ecstatically received live concert experience and studio album.

David affords us some fascinating, behind the scenes insights into his 2001 television special recorded at Radio City Music Hall, An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson, his Grammy-nominated documentary, Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of SMiLE, and talks candidly about some of the life experiences that shaped Brian’s exquisite artistry.

Brian Wilson and David Leaf in 2022

Brian Wilson’s epic journey through the music of SMiLE is a dramatic and inspirational story, and we’re so lucky to learn about it from someone with such a uniquely close and personal perspective, who was critical to bringing SMiLE back to life, and to whom Brian Wilson himself said, ‘I can’t do this unless you’re there with me every day’.

More background, including some links to suggested further reading, viewing and listening, at our website;

A podcasting privilege for us this year was having the opportunity to talk to award winning filmmaker and author, David Leaf, to discuss his latest book, Smile: The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Brian Wilson. (Our conversation was recorded prior to Brian’s passing.) This celebratory work takes us to the very heart of Brian Wilson’s lost musical masterpiece; its traumatic unravelling in 1967, and the road to a triumphant rebirth in 2004 as an ecstatically received live concert experience and studio album.

David affords us some fascinating, behind the scenes insights into his 2001 television special recorded at Radio City Music Hall, An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson, his Grammy-nominated documentary, Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of SMiLE, and talks candidly about some of the life experiences that shaped Brian’s exquisite artistry.

Brian Wilson’s epic journey through the music of SMiLE is a dramatic and inspirational story, and we’ve been so lucky to learn about it from someone with such a uniquely close and personal perspective, who was critical to bringing SMiLE back to life, and to whom Brian Wilson himself said, ‘I can’t do this unless you’re there with me every day’. We hope you enjoy our conversation with David Leaf as much as we did. Join us at our website (below) or your favourite podcast platform.

Tonight, I went in search of a Beatles tune I hadn’t played for a few years anyway, and this is the ONLY one on my list that met the criteria!  Gonna have to go in search of some that I haven’t played, but for tonight I am tired, frustrated, and ready to go meet my pillow, so … Written by Paul McCartney while he was lounging at John Lennon’s pool, it was at least partly inspired by The Beach…

Beatles, Chris Carter, October 2, 2022.  Download