Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece

By Domenic Priore

Book Overview

(Omnibus Press). Smile has become one of the most unavoidable legends of rock 'n' roll folklore, and in this searching examination Domenic Priore presents the true story behind the album's 40-year conception. Work on Smile began hot on the heels of the ground-breaking Pet Sounds, when Brian Wilson collaborated with Van Dyke Parks to create a 'musical story of America'. However, production would famously collapse under a tide of internal fighting, record business chicanery, and Brian's own health problems. In this unique account, Domenic Priore interviews all the main players and documents every aspect of the Smile experience, from its troubled inception to Wilson's brave attempt to finish what he started in 2005. The book includes detailed accounts of studio work, the triumphant live shows in Europe and the U.S., and a host of exclusive photos from photographer Guy Webster.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 082567350X
• ISBN13: 9780825673504
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: Bobcat Books
• Length: 199 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 0.8" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

A Respectful And Detailed Analysis of An Important Moment In Music History.

Dominic Priore, along with David Leaf, are the primary reasons why I became so enamoured with the musical legacy of Brian Wilson. I already loved the music, but those two guys made me dig even deeper into Wilson's musical oeuvre, mainly because they were so exhaustive and passionate about revealing hidden truths about what really happened to this legend. Both men were instrumental in correcting the history books with Brian's sad, yet ultimately triumphant story. This book is a great extension of Priore's earlier Look! Listen! Vibrate! SMiLE! book from the early 90s. It's well-researched. It covers much ground, and talks to most everyone ever involved with the work that took 37 years to reach fruition. My only quibble is that the second edition I received replaces a 1967 original SMiLE-era Brian Wilson photo (in the swimming pool no less!) with a contemporary shot of Brian. One can only assume that Brian himself requested this, considering he contributes the intro to the book. Perhaps (and rightly so) he considers SMiLE a contemporary work, given that he and his associates finished it in 2004. Still, I would have loved to have had the version with the 60s cover. Oh well.