If the Beatles never existed

[Ed Vette]

Ed, I agree that Bread is underrated, but it strays from rock and roll. Everything they sang was romantic. It was the favorite band of my wife. There used to be a way to tell who wrote what songs for the Beatles. If it was romantic, it was written by Paul. If it was written by John, it would be about revolution, or war, or something opposite of romantic
Paul also said, "if it wasn't for them wanting to outdo 'Good Vibrations', they would have never come up with 'A Day in the Life'". The Beatles were 3 guitars and a drummer...same as the Beach Boys in their early years. But Wilson incorporated so many new instruments and sounds, that the Beatles became very creative to do the same and keep up with the Beach Boys. So horns, violins, sitars...pretty much anything that made noise, you name it, became the sound of the Beatles, with the Magical Mystery Tour becoming their signature coming out album. One thing that John did to copy Wilson, was to take an ordinary piano and put a thumb tack in each of the felt hammers to give it a "tink" sound, as the keys were struck. You can pick it out in some of Wilson's stuff as well as in Strawberry Fields Forever

Anyway, we were lucky to live in the day when musicians were challenging each other, like the Beach Boys and the Beatles. In fact, that renegade creation carried over to Led Zeppelin as well as Queen. They all deviated from standard songwriting by ditching the chorus and playing in multiple keys in the same song, and using full orchestras or instruments from an orchestra, while changing tempos and going into whatever direction their minds took them, unhindered from the "proper" way to compose songs

One of my favorite Orchestra Bands of that era was ELO. Although I do have a fondness for Glenn Miller. Likely from a previous life. 

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Since we got into romance songs, I'd be remiss not to mention Ronnie Milsap...although my teen years were in the 60's, I have a little bit of knowing about the 50's through my parents. Anyway, this one is a classic. I always wondered how someone who was blind could know so much about romance in the 50's. When he sings, "in the still of the night", it must always seem like night to him. Regardless, he had pipes and could work up romance in a song like few others

[Jolly Blue Giant]

One of my favorite Orchestra Bands of that era was ELO. Although I do have a fondness for Glenn Miller. Likely from a previous life. 

Excellent song...I forgot all about that one. I like ELO a lot, but when I hear them on the radio, it's always "Don't Bring me Down"...which contrary to the majority of listeners, it isn't "don't bring me down, Bruce"...it's "don't bring me down, groos". Groos is actually a German word ("Gruß") meaning "greetings", which was temporarily inserted into the lyrics until they could come up with a better word. They didn't, and it became part of the song

Their no.1 hit song...with dancing (called "shuffling") gals to offset boredom

[Sem]

ELO is one of a small handful of groups that I regret not having seen play live when I had a chance.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

An AI explanation of how Brian Wilson changed music forever. I used Grok

Grok mentions the term "pocket symphony", which is a term used a lot by others talking about Wilson's songs...basically, a "mini-symphony", because of his use of horns, stringed instruments, and a variety of sounds. Getting classified as a composer of symphonies is about the highest praise a pop songwriter could ever achieve in the world of music history

"Brian Wilson, as the creative force behind The Beach Boys, reshaped pop music through innovative songwriting, production techniques, and thematic ambition. His contributions broke new ground in the 1960s, influencing the trajectory of the genre. Here's how:

1 - Sophisticated Songwriting and Harmonies: Wilson elevated pop by crafting complex, emotionally resonant songs. Drawing from Four Freshmen-inspired vocal harmonies and Chuck Berry's rock energy, he created a distinctive Beach Boys sound. Tracks like "Surfer Girl" (1963) and "Don't Worry Baby" (1964) blended lush, multi-layered harmonies with relatable themes of youth, love, and freedom, setting a new standard for pop's emotional depth.

2 - Innovative Studio Techniques: Wilson treated the recording studio as an instrument, pioneering techniques that expanded pop's sonic palette. On albums like Pet Sounds (1965), he used unconventional instruments (theremin, harpsichord, bicycle bells) and intricate arrangements, layering sounds to create orchestral textures. His use of multi-tracking and reverb gave songs a polished, immersive quality, influencing producers like George Martin and Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound."

3 - Conceptual Ambition: Pet Sounds was a landmark for its cohesive, album-oriented approach, moving pop away from singles-driven formats. Its introspective lyrics and unified sound inspired The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), sparking the rise of the concept album. Wilson's unfinished Smile project (partially released in 1967, completed in 2004) pushed this further, blending avant-garde elements with pop, influencing progressive and psychedelic rock.

4 - Thematic Expansion: Wilson broadened pop's subject matter beyond teen romance. Pet Sounds explored vulnerability, isolation, and coming-of-age struggles in songs like "God Only Knows" and "Caroline, No." This emotional honesty paved the way for introspective songwriters like Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell.

5 - Influenced Music Production: Wilson's hands-on approach as a writer, arranger, and producer inspired artists to take control of their creative process. His work ethic and vision in the studio set a template for the auteur model in pop, seen in later artists like Stevie Wonder and Prince.

6 - Cultural Impact: By blending surf, car, and California culture with universal themes, Wilson helped define the 1960s American sound. Hits like "Good Vibrations" (1966), with its modular structure and innovative "pocket symphony" approach, showed pop could be both commercially successful and artistically daring.

His influence persists in indie, psychedelic, and chamber pop, with artists like The Flaming Lips and Sufjan Stevens citing him as a touchstone. Despite personal struggles, Wilson's push for innovation and emotional depth redefined what pop music could achieve, making it a vehicle for both artistry and mass appeal."

[Jolly Blue Giant]

And from ChatGPT

"Brian Wilson, the creative force behind The Beach Boys, significantly changed music composition in the 1960s, pushing the boundaries of what pop and rock music could be. Here are the major ways he transformed the musical landscape:

1. Studio as Instrument

Wilson pioneered the idea that the recording studio itself could be a creative tool—not just a place to document live performances.

    Innovative Layering: On albums like Pet Sounds (1966), he used overdubbing, multi-tracking, and tape editing in complex ways rarely seen in pop music at the time.

    Modular Composition: For Smile (his ambitious, unfinished project from 1966–67), he began composing in "modules"—short, independent musical segments designed to be assembled later into larger works. This approach prefigured later digital and sample-based music production.

2. Orchestral & Unusual Instrumentation

Wilson expanded pop's palette far beyond guitars and drums.

    Chamber Pop Sound: He integrated classical instruments—strings, French horns, harpsichords, bass harmonicas, theremins, and more.

    Unconventional Sources: He also used found sounds and non-musical items (like Coke cans or dog whistles) for effect.

3. Sophisticated Harmony and Chord Progressions

While many pop songs of the early 1960s relied on simple I–IV–V progressions, Wilson drew on:

    Jazz, classical, and baroque influences

    Unexpected modulations and non-diatonic chords

    Vocal harmonies that rivaled or surpassed those of The Beatles or doo-wop groups

Example: The chord changes in "God Only Knows" are unusually complex and beautiful for a pop ballad.

4. Emotional and Conceptual Depth

Wilson introduced a more introspective and personal tone to pop music.

    Pet Sounds is often cited as one of the first concept albums, reflecting Wilson's feelings of isolation, love, and spiritual yearning.

    This shifted pop from danceable singles to emotionally immersive, album-length experiences.

5. Influence on Other Artists

Wilson's innovations had a global ripple effect:

    Pet Sounds directly inspired The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

    Artists from Pink Floyd to Radiohead, Tame Impala, and Sufjan Stevens have cited him as an influence

    His harmonic language and lush productions shaped genres like chamber pop, progressive pop, and psychedelic music

In Summary:

Brian Wilson transformed music composition by treating the studio as an instrument, elevating pop arrangements with orchestral tools, exploring deep emotions in lyrics and structure, and inventing new ways to construct songs. His most important work—Pet Sounds, Smile, and various Beach Boys singles  — helping establish rock music as an art form, not just entertainment."

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Something I should add about Brian Wilson, who is currently 82 yrs old with severe dementia and under a conservatorship

Wilson's genius was also what drove him insane...that and drug use. He was obsessed with coming up with the perfect harmony of voices, even though the Beach Boys arguably were already the best harmonizing group in the world, he wanted better and more, and started "layering harmonies over top of others". He was also obsessed with finding sounds to add to music, and experimented with everything from French horns to barking dogs and pulling tabs off a soda can. He suffered from "auditory hallucinations", and struggled mightily with mental issues because he couldn't get those things out of his mind. In the mid-70s, he became a recluse, but re-emerged to the scene a while later, before again struggling with mental issues. He was a genius, but he pushed himself to the limit of musical composition invention until it engulfed his whole life in a world of depression and insanity

George Martin said, "no single person influenced and challenged the Beatles more than Brian Wilson. He challenged the Beatles to enter into new territories they would never have even thought about, if not for trying to keep up with Wilson's wild imagination and crazy ideas". Both the Beach Boys and the Beatles evolved from catchy bouncing songs, to the extravagant use of sounds and a radical departure from standard music composition. But it was all because of one man, Brian Wilson. Fans liked the music, but most had no idea what was really going on, and how completely the radical change was taking place. Those who compose music as their life's career knew exactly what was happening, and it turned the industry on its head. Everyone, not just the Beatles, tried to keep up

Wilson was a genius, a drug addict, an artist, never satisfied with his work, and hell-bent on discovering an ever better version of harmony among voices, and in the end, it literally drove him insane. Kind of sad, but sheer geniuses often end up insane I guess