Surfing the waves of nostalgia with Brian Wilson

Wilson wasn’t just writing songs. He was building worlds.

As I write this, I’m struck by how much of my childhood was shaped by Brian Wilson’s sounds. The Beach Boys weren’t just a band, they were a feeling, a memory, a tether to a time when the world seemed simpler, even if it never really was. Brian Wilson’s genius wasn’t just in his music but in his ability to make kids like me believe in the endless summer, no matter where we were. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Surfing the waves of nostalgia with Brian Wilson.

MICHAEL DE PERCY | "The Beach Boys weren’t just a band, they were a feeling, a memory, a tether to a time when the world seemed simpler, even if it never really was."https://t.co/UvtdCpRvEm

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) June 14, 2025