Brian Wilson • 1976 Full Interview (The Beach Boys) 

Listening to this with headphones on pays tribute to the fact that Brian is deaf in one ear.

How can you not love someone who is so haunted, but so honest and articulate.

“I had a lot of money, of course I’m a millionaire” lol probably one of the only people who can say that line and not sound like a dick 😂

Brian Wilson , no pretence , what you see is what you get , a genuinely lovely man .

Bob Harris is a class guy he never really tried getting deep into Brian's mental problems or harping on that subject... instead he just touched on it for a moment but than moved on & went right back into asking him about his music which he seemed really comfortable with ... Bob is a great guy I respect him for being very cool with Brian... other interviewers would have relentlessly harped on the issues of his mental problems... very cool interview indeed...

"It's making me a lot of money and it's making a lot of people happy, which is my first goal" king shit, love this man

I don’t really listen to The Beach Boys but my respect for Brian Wilson is immeasurable. He’s a true inspiration as an artist.

Bob Harris is a man of integrity. Brian was talking about drugs and the guy far from being an opportunist with the news and digging into that, he changed the subject and probably wasn't interested in it and only wants to know about his musical projects.

What a great interview. History was made that day. High honor to see this today. Bless Brian Wilson, and all of the Beach boys.

He answers the question so politely

So open and humble.

He's so full of power in this interview. And just two years later he was down again. Maybe the most interesting stage of life of Brian Wilson. He experimented so much musically and had so many great ideas. And he talked about the post-Smile-albums, which he didn't that much afterwards.

He seems pretty coherent considering this was meant to be some of the years when he was struggling

I saw this interview on TV in '76. I've been waiting to see it again ever since!

Bill Murray sounds just like Brian Wilson.

he seems very sharp here. nice to see.

That's an interesting observation Brian made about his family when they sing: Because they are related, their THROATS are similar--and that's why they harmonise so well. They have the "Wilson" throats--just like I suppose the Bee Gees had the "Gibb" throats, and that's why the Gibb brothers, also, had a harmony all their own

I'm so grateful I got to see him sing Pet Sounds live with an orchestra. Even debilitated, he still had his tremendous presence.

Brian is Such a warm, sensitive human being. It makes me sad to know what he's been through. Love Brian.

He is quite lucid and even-tempered here. His intelligence shines through, as does his love for others. And his voice sounds good...a little lower register than 5 or 6 years earlier, but not too raspy yet.

If you look up a video of him just 10 years after this hes literally a different person.

I wonder if Bill Murray used Brian Wilson as inspiration for Carl in Caddy Shack. Both talk out of the side of their mouth and Bill's character even sounds like Brian in this clip.

The world is a better place because of Brian Wilson

This is one of the most coherant of Brian's interviews. Great interview.

As Mike Love once said in an interview long ago..."Brian Wilson IS the 'Beach Boys'."

As Mike Love said "Brian is a pure Gemini." You can feel those synapses on overdrive with this musical genius. Cool he talks of using non-triad chords and uses visualization with his fingers to help you 'see' those "bunched up chords". Glad he got his life together. I'd love to see him in concert for a once in a lifetime experience.

My God, what a special soul.

He's very well spoken and aware despite his mental health issues at the time, interesting watching his body language he's doing so well to keep it together he almost said the F word and corrected himself in style 🙂

OK, so for a long time I've thought I should probably learn about Brian Wilson, because so many artists reference him as a musical genius--it just seemed like musical history I should know about. I'm floored. I expected some "musical genius" type--distand & self-involved, caustic, condescending, maybe bitter. That's what I expected Brian Wilson to be. Nothing could have prepared me for who he really is. I cringe to think a human being this sensitive was brutalized when he was young. Absolutely terrible. & so amazing that he found music, or music found him. He just seems to have no pretentions or defences, & at the same time is hearing & experiencing music in a way few other human beings have. He seems absolutely in love in love IN LOVE with music. Extraordinary man with an extraordinary life. So glad he survived, because there are many abused kids like him who self-medicate for years & unfortunately don't survive it.

Good interview, what a beautiful soul, big love for his brothers - head and shoulders above them all in the studio, including Spector.

he seems so nice :(💗

Great to hear this interview, love his honesty and his personality. Sad to hear him talk about his drug problem, he seemed to be a lot better here but I don't know what was going on behind the scenes.

Wow! He was sober in this year? He talked very fluent and coherent here

Brian is remarkably lucid here.

The interviewer has a gorgeous voice.

Brian was five cigarette packets and half a birthday cake deep here, he got addicted to the frosting. It's amazing he survived.

If only he was that lucid in the 80s and 90s.

At the end of the day we are so lucky these souls grace our lives and bring joyment to them.

I love how he brought up vocal doubling and the cool phasey sound you get. Lennon loved to do it. I also noticed Gilbert O'Sullivan loved to do it. And Eliott Smith. Well, ha, I guess a lot of people do it....but, certain people are kind of known for that sound.

Amazing interview

Great to hear an interview discussing some technical details of how sounds are produced, and additionally, such a great conversation. Very much different from the banality that most similar interviews cover today.

It's interesting that Brian was listening to Randy Newman's Sail Away on repeat. That's one of the most acerbic songs ever written, and I think of Brian Wilson's music as being earnest.

"My first goal, to make people happy".

Bill Murray in the 80’s!? Wow... he could’ve played him spot on! I mean, Brian could’ve played Bill...

At first, I was uncomfortable with his awkwardness, but I realize that he's a musical genius, and possibility a bit on the autistic spectrum. And of course, his drug use didn't help, yet he's very candid about it. Regardless, he comes across as very earnest and likeable. A very bright, interesting song writer and an excellent interview by Bob Harris. (Love to see an interviewer who is well versed.) Thank you for posting!

Happy (late) 82nd Birthday Brian ♡

"I had a lot of money of course I'm a millionaire"

one of my very favorite Brian years. love to watch him roll on. "I want to call it Brian's in Love"...

What an absolutely sweet soul ❤ I love you Brian Wilson

Love how Brian mentions he loves Donovan. I can defo see that.

brian half heartedly explaining chromaticism lol

what a good look for an interview

Shout out to Randy Newman's "Sail Away". Such a great record.

The wall paper behind Brian makes me think that maybe that"s Brian's home where he , Carl, & Dennis grew up in.

Interviewer, Bob Harris is kind here.

In my opinion, Brians music and the Beach Boy's will stand the test of time! But wow, Brian is one of a kind.. a genius with a tortured soul who just longed for affection from those he cared about/looked up too whether it was his father, Phil Spector, Landy, Mike Love.. thats whats so sad, none of those dickheads ever gave Brian the validation he needed, instead they all exploited him and took advantage of his kindness!

Brian Wilson is adorable. ❤

Bob Harris; compassionate professionalism...

The Beach Boys were my “first love” musically and my initial foray into what has been a lifetime of music. Brian is pure genius. Pet Sounds was one of my eighth grade graduation gifts in June 1966. It took a few listenings before I realized how special the album was. And to this day, I still have the album and will forever treasure it! Long live Brian Wilson!!

Funny how he says, "...because, you know, I'm a millionaire. I could afford it."

Fantastic interview.

Brian's nervous laugh when talking about "Never Learn Not To Love" 14:24

"Of course, I'm a millionaire."

Fascinating that he took inspiration from Randy Newman, it seems that Brian Wilson really liked Newman.

He just wants to make people happy , I hope he's happy.

this is very interesting. We always hear about the genius he was but I never got to see an interview like this during this time. Very fascinating.

Never heard Bob Harris speaking so loud before, I can only assume he did so because of Brian's hearing difficultly

had my one earbud in reading the subtitles until I realized all the audio was the right side

That's a never ending cup of coffee, I need one of them myself 😁

this is excellent,,,so honest

Brian is quite loveable. I live him in the films from 64 for I get around and don't worry baby

thank you

15:15 Fun fact - the writer of God Only Knows, also smokes like a gangsta.

"Cool, Cool Water" is technically from SMiLE and is on Sunflower

Of course I’m a millionaire

God bless Brian Wilson

It's funny to think this is before the drugs really kicked in. The medications they would have had him on would have been crazy. It's like the last interview where he's like himself.

he's beautiful

I'm guessing few could hold Brians engagement this long during this era, Bob had that ability tho, somewhere between an interviewer and therapist lol, an unguarded Brian is so nice and interesting to see

*When I closed my eyes, I heard Bill Murray*

Good interview. Reminds me of my “Rain Man Uncle”, acid does strange stuff, effects family, friends, never recover. Similar results, good conversation, but short direct conversation. Quirks, then rain man stuff......

He sounds so...normal. Must be before he got on all the psychiatric meds.

Ive heard him have to stop himself from saying fuck in a few interviews but this is the first one where he only left off the k 😂

He seems happy and together.

It's funny how old fashioned the room looked, even for 1976, with the wallpaper and all the pictures hanging on the walls.

Fantastic interview!

All I’ve read about this man is that he’s an acid casualty, totally lost it etc. yet this is my first time seeing him interact and he seems quite fine

Pet Sounds & the response was Sargent Pepper. (The top "artists " of today wouldn't know where to start).

always thought Brian has a li'll Jim Morrison in him...maybe it's the cheeky smile or maybe it's..i just don't know.

The audio is only in my left ear ; )

sweet sensitive guy, so vulnerable

7:26 “I was able to get ahold of all these drugs and they fuh- heh.. heh.. messed me up” such a wholesome funny moment by Brian 😂❤️

Just remember folks this interview is 47 years old (as I type this) and Brian is still alive and kicking!

Although he was struggling with a lot of issues you gotta love his infectious laugh. Wonderful person. True survivor.

It's really uplifting to see this little glint in Brian's eye throughout the interview; he's in a great mood here.

I can't get enough Brian Wilson... Just love this guy.

This is the most mature and intelligent I've seen Brian. The Landy years in the 80s really regressed and damaged him way more than his 60s breakdown or 70s depression. He's a big kid here but not infantilized or delicate. Thats why the "Brian's Back" trilogy are my favorite BB albums.

Pet Sounds will be listened to hundreds of years from now.

He's so engaged in this interview lul. nowadays he would just say "yup" to 70% of the questions

Brian appears quite normal here. He has a sharp sense of humour.