Steven Page never imagined that his 1992 tribute to Brian Wilson would one day be sung back to him by the Beach Boys legend himself. Yet in the summer of 2000, that exact dream came true on a Toronto stage. Wilson opened his concert with “Brian Wilson,” drawing stunned admiration from Page and a sea of Toronto musicians in the audience.
Page later joined Wilson and Paul Simon for a rousing encore, calling the moment “an absolute dream come true.” As news of Wilson’s death at 82 broke Wednesday, Page reflected on the encounter and the influence Wilson had on his career. Though initially skeptical of the Beach Boys’ depth, a mixtape from a York University classmate changed Page’s view, revealing the emotional complexity behind Wilson’s music.
The Barenaked Ladies’ hit “Brian Wilson,” written by a teenage Page, sought to bring nuance and empathy to how mental health in rock was discussed. Wilson later embraced the song, performing it live and even tweaking the lyrics to reflect his own identity—swapping “playing my guitar” for “playing my piano.”
Page also performed the song at a 2005 MusiCares tribute to Wilson, the only act to play a non-Wilson composition. He credits the Beach Boys’ harmonies and Wilson’s studio innovations as a major influence on Barenaked Ladies’ musical evolution.
Randy Bachman echoed those sentiments, remembering Wilson as a pioneer who fused jazz harmonies with rock rhythms to forge a new genre. “He really is one of the greats,” said Page. “He is like Beethoven and Paul McCartney all mixed together.”
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