Features
All Smiles
In case you haven’t heard, the current performances are the culmination of more than 35 years’ worth of struggle on the part of Wilson and others.
The Smile album was originally conceived by Wilson in 1966 as an epic follow-up to the Beach Boys’ legendary Pet Sounds album. However, it was scrapped prior to completion, giving way to decades of regretful speculation on the part of music fans and Wilson associates.
Earlier this year, Wilson announced he had resumed work on the project with original lyricist Van Dyke Parks, and that an all-new version of the album would be released September 28 by Nonesuch Records.
Wilson performed the album on a short European tour in February and March to rave reviews. The new dates begin with two shows July 13-14 at The Hague in the Netherlands, followed by two weeks of U.K. shows.
The August itinerary includes shows in Belgium, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Spain. North American dates are reportedly in the works for fall.
And there’s more: Wilson will release his first solo album in six years, Gettin’ In Over My Head, on June 22. A star-studded cast, including Eric Clapton, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Wilson’s late brother Carl, contributed to the recording.