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Show Sunday, August 24 2008 DAILY HERALD Wilson 1 Continued from Cl asGood Vibrations and California Girls stares with sharp blue eyes, frequently fidgeting. A lot has changed for the historically reclusive Southern California native, who speaks with a slight slur, a result of his past and medicated journey through mental illness, He is a second-roun- d father at the age of 68 (musician daughters Wendy, 38, and.: Carnie, 40, from his first mar- riage, tour as The Wilsons). . Following 2004s rock opera Smile, and a 2005 Christmas release, he has a new, ambitious solo album, That Lucky Old Sun, due out Sept. Z He is touring behind the material, pushing through years of stage fright I think the new album is just . as good as anything the Beach Boys ever recorded, says W3- - , son. Playing these songs live, I feel proud. You know that funny feeling you get in your, stomach, like, 0h my God, this is sounding great ! Two years ago, he says, he recorded 18 songs then chose Dear Seventeen can I look in the and feel good myself? I became Advice a cheerleader this year, but Im the biggest one on the team, and I'm built different-t- y from the other girls. I need good reason for all of this? Alicia, 16, Lafayette ; La. , help with my and how I took at myself. At some point, almost Madason, 14 Russellville, everyone comes up against someone who turns cdd for no apparent reason. It's Everyone has body insect were rity at some point, Madason beyond maddening and it can be extra hard sorry you have to deal with l now that such a frustrating situancf to be tion! The crazy thing is that youre playing a sport that involves revealing uniforms sometimes, instead of where everyones body is on can make you display. But you have so many more focused on him. But new experiences and friend-- , the best thing you can do for ships to look forwa-- to on yourself is move on dont the team, and we want you to cal or text him anymore, and beable to dear your mind of instead hang out wkh your doubt so that you can en- friends and other guys. If this joy them. To do that, you need guy resurfaces, adt him what to focus on the great things and give him a happened about yourself. So every day, dunce to explain but trust ... in a journal, on your computer your gut if his story sounds or even onyour calendar, like a lame excuse. And alwrite down one good thing ways remember You deserve about yourself or about your respect from every guy, and day. It can be anything, like if everyone else in your life, you had a great laugh or you too: Anyone who'd rudely or helped a friend in class. It may randomly blow you off isn't " fed corny or even conceitworthy of you! ed! at first, but if you keep How can I avoid eating doing it, the voice inside your head will start to focus on the fast food when I work at a restaurant seven good things about yourself, in- fast-foo- d stead of the things that make a day? Ally son, 16, Austin, Texas ' you fed insecure. (On dgys when youre feeling particu- It must be tempting to grab larty down, focus your energy on helping someone else.) The some food from the kitchen change wont happen overatyourjob, AQyson and. we applaud you for trying night, but that's OK: It takes to reiist it! The best thing to practice to build do is prepare ahead: Always just as it takes practice to cheer or to learn any new pack healthy snacks to take skill. P.S.: When you're done to work, so that you have reading this, check out Seven-tee- them ready when hunger;: ' strikes. And if you have a Body Peace Treaty at it's hinch or dinner break during seventeen.combodypeace; a pledge to start appreciating your shift, bring a meal thats good for you (like salads or your body and the amazing sandwiches with some satid ) things it can do! tying protein) tyom home. If Ive been talking to this you can, eat them outside the restaurant, in the sunshine guy for about four months, ' that way, youll get some time now, but he just stopped away from the stress of your texting me and responding to my calls. Should I just job, and youll be removed from all those tempting fast . forget about him and move on, or wait to see if he has a ' foods! How Teen self-estee- m drug-abus- . . . -- 10 last . Capitol .. . . . . . . ' - ns . yearfor He came up with the album's lush orchestration and music, while 4&year- old bandmate Scott Bennett scribed the lyrics, with color ful narrative interludes by Wilsons longtime collaborator Van Dyke Parks. ... The outcome is a blend of uptempo pop and pianobased ... ballads. The title track, a cover of Louis Armstrong's That : Lucky Old Sun, flows into ' the bouncy anthem Morning Beat, setting the album's tone. Van Dyke Parks, Brian and Melinda thought this should be a love letter to Los Angeles. At this point, Brian was old and it just felt right to embrace his legend and be a bit nostalgic, Bennett says. Songs such as Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl touch on Beach Boys melodies while Mexican Girl adds a dash of salsa flavor. Midnights Another Day and Oxygen to the Brain reference Wilson's dark days in the 70s and 80s, when he receded from the spotlight into isolation, drugs .. and weight gain Wilson calls Midnight's Another Day, which skirts on a solitary piano melody, his fa vorite song, kind of introspective, kind of how 1 feel around . . ; .' . . people.'.:: The album's last song, ; .. Southern California, remi- iiisces about cofounding the . ff f' V r -- .fi5 II 'sa 51 n v y.y S.Ss J.'.Xy ; ' h . : , , rf . .!- m:-- - f x1 ! n at his home ' Beach Boys in 1961 with his late brothers Curl and Dennis, and ends the album on an uplifting note Wilson sings,. Its magical living your dream. Yes, Brian had a rough time of it, with his mental health, but I would kill to have the kind of catalog he does, and tour everywhere with his'; brothers like he did, says Bennett, who confirms that Wilson is on a heavy dose of antide' pressants. Regardless, Wilson has hit a creative stride in his life. Inspiration comes at night when he sits down alone at his Y amahasy nthesizer and grand piano innis music room. When I go to the keyboard, I feel holy, like an angel over my head. 1 feel very hoty. When we did the Beach Boys hit God Only Knows, I felt hoty about that too- - A godly something comes through me, Wilson says, motioning with his hands. Im always thinking about melodies. The melodies come from my brain, and my keyboards. I play a really pleasant keyboard. It sounds so pleasant it makes me want to write melodies.. But life as a busy dad and touring musician can be over- whelming. Wilson describes a house full of kids and dogs as very loud" and a madhouse. H frequently goes to a nearby park and takes walks. The kids make me feel a little jumpy," he says. Some- - . times I want to get out of the house to get away from my kids but I love my kids a lot. I lave my kids, ... Quiet time, comes around 10 at night when . t v , . JI V . - ; nine-piec- Won-dermint- . : . ; . n, ; . then-scho- in) : Jar-din- . . : . . t-'. 1r"S ; ,ir ' ft s. .. f i . f f i i - .'s. ; l Ji A , r-- : j ocv'jf ii a axji h ;; : if n ' r r,1 II It . Mi M Hf : 1 3t ' 4 iTl V f ( $ '. i' I I i i"1 - !( h It-- -. i i w ii I! ; f A -- t ; i Ww, ,itfs eizm: !i irjyr. . -- - purple-curtain- . At a taping days later for Musics Live Sets, Wilson is joined onstage by his e band, including Bennett and members iof the who have played with him for 10 years. Tentatively at first, Wilson daps his hands and directs the group in rousing, harmony-fille- d versions of such Beach Boys daisies as Help Me Rhonda and I Get Around. Wilson later sings from the new album. When asked during a Q& A session his biggest regret, he doesnt mince words. The drugs I took which kind of messed up my mind. The LSD, the marijuana, the cocaine, he says, laughter. ; Wilson isn't letting his past stop him from throwing his ambitions forward. After That Lucky Old Sun, Wilson says the unreleased '. songs he recorded, including a slow, smooth version of Proud Mary, will form another al-- ' bum. He gushes that the only person I realty want to work with is Paul McCartney. He would also like to record a rock n roll album inspired by ; Phil Spectors type records, a realty hard rock album that re- ' alty rocks, with big orchestra- tion, the whole bit. Yet, he also views his future gingerly, as day today. ' I look forward to today, ... he tells The AP. I never look ; Wilson, Ihixigh, dearty forward to the future because loves performing Beach Boys I think to myself, What if tunes as wen as his awn solo work, even with nightty stage theres an earthquake, what if fright, which he says he works Idieor someone I love dies? I through by getting neck and v get those kind of thoughts all shoulder rubs, and praying. the time. Its oof to my head. I go to sleep. Its peace of mind. Things run smoothly at night. During the day, things are more rough. Later on, when Ledbetter comes home with their small .' floppy-haireson Dylan barefoot and weiring a Hawaiian shirt Wilson brightens. Hes quieter when it comes to. daughters Wendy and Carnie, who both live less than 10 miles away. I dont talk to than very : much. I used to. I recorded with them at one time, but I dont talk to them a lot, he says, explaining that the women are realty busy. Questions about the Beach Boys current status get lukewarm response as welL Wil-sowho also formed the band with cousin Mike Love and friend AUardine, split with most pf the group's surviving members years ago amid legal squabbles. Love and later Bach Boys bandmate Bruce Johnston tour as the e Beach Boys Band, while has his own Endless Summer Band. Wilson stresses the subjects touchiness. We don't want any public-it- y about me getting back with the Beach Boys, cause I don't want to. They're not my group ' anymore. That's Mike and ; Bruce's group now. I'm on my own, and I would rather do that than go back to the Beach Boys, he says. . . . in Los Angeles on July 28. - . r 't t-- - rr :;: , j sun sarusAuflcwM ptm Musidaa Brian MHsoa t- - i r . , r V if : j . d self-estee- ' e v, . long-awaite- d ; sf s ; . 4 J m: i I ; i |