Brian Wilson ‘Loved’ Hearing That Frank Sinatra Got Sick Before Performances
Brian Wilson was a founding Beach Boys member, later sharing his admiration for the Beatles and Frank Sinatra. In fact, this artist “loved” hearing that Sinatra had “the same problems” when performing on stage.
Brian Wilson is a vocalist, songwriter, and member of the Beach Boys
Most know songwriter Brian Wilson as a founding member of the Beach Boys. The surf rock group’s original lineup brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.
Wilson appeared alongside the Beach Boys at Live Aid, also appearing as a co-headliner for Chicago’s 2022 tour with Al Jardine.
Brian Wilson ‘loved’ hearing that someone as ‘cool’ as Sinatra had the same problems
Despite dozens of performances with the Beach Boys (and as a solo artist), Wilson suffered from stage fright. As a result, he “loved” hearing that other well-known musicians had similar experiences before a concert.
“Once I was backstage before a show, and I was very nervous,” Wilson wrote in I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. “I’m always nervous before a show. I never know how an audience is going to respond to it.”
“Someone there at the show had known someone else who worked with Sinatra, who knew that Sinatra threw up before every concert,” he continued. “I loved hearing that, not because I liked to think of Sinatra sick, but because I couldn’t believe that someone as cool as he was had the same problems I had.”
Even now, Wilson has moments of stage fright. During an interview with Rebeat Magazine, the artist said, “I do, yeah, for about a half hour before the show, I get a little stage fright.”
The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson shared his admiration for Frank Sinatra (and other artists and bands)
Aside from writing music for the Beach Boys, the singer created “Still I Dream of It” specifically for Sinatra. The “My Way” vocalist didn’t say yes to the song, which “bothered” Wilson.
Still, the Beach Boy shared some of his lyrics in the memoir, writing, “Still, I dream of it / Of that happy day / When I can say I’ve fallen in love / And it haunts me so / Like a dream that’s / Somehow linked to all the stars above.”
“The song ended up on an album named Adult/Child, which was filled with those kinds of songs,” Wilson added. “It was a Beach Boys album that never came out.”
Wilson often shared admiration for solo artists and other bands. During a 2015 interview with The Daily Beast, Wilson discussed The Beach Boys’ supposed rivalry with The Beatles, saying that “it wasn’t really a rivalry, though. I was jealous!”
“It was really just mutual inspiration, I think,” Wilson added. “I would get to hear their records before they came out, and I was totally blown away by Rubber Soul. And Sgt. Pepper’s? I was totally blown away by that. But it was inspirational, too.”
