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The 1966 song that convinced Brian May rock music would never be the same: “Absolutely perfect”
Brian May has identified the Beach Boys’ 1966 single ‘Good Vibrations’ as a record that showed him rock music had entered a new era, describing it as “absolutely perfect”. The song’s ambitious production and rapid shifts in mood demonstrated how pop and rock could be more inventive, layered and technically sophisticated than conventional guitar-based songs.
Released by the Beach Boys and principally created by Brian Wilson with lyricist Mike Love, ‘Good Vibrations’ became a major international hit and is widely regarded as a landmark of 1960s pop. Its recording process was unusually elaborate for the period, involving multiple sessions, changing arrangements and experimental instrumentation including the Electro-Theremin.
In short
- Brian May says ‘Good Vibrations’ changed his view of rock.
- He called the 1966 Beach Boys song “absolutely perfect”.
- Its inventive studio production made it a landmark record.
Explained simply
The Beach Boys were an American band whose early hits often featured close vocal harmonies and songs about surfing and youth culture. By the mid-1960s, songwriter and producer Brian Wilson was pushing their music in new directions, working with lyricist Mike Love and other musicians to build more elaborate recordings.
“Good Vibrations” was made from recordings produced across multiple studio sessions, with sections and instruments assembled into a finished track. Its unusual sound included an Electro-Theremin, an instrument that gives a sliding, wavering tone. The song is often seen as an example of how pop recording grew more experimental in the 1960s.
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