This week’s episode of Rolling with Scissors is a hard one. Brian Wilson, the genius behind the Beach Boys’ most groundbreaking material, has died. Born June 20, 1942, and passing on June 5, 2025, Brian gave us 82 years of melody, heartbreak, harmony, and hope. For many of us, this isn’t just the loss of a musician — it’s the loss of a deeply human voice that taught us how to feel the waves even when we were nowhere near an ocean.

If you know me, you know I don’t throw around the word “genius” lightly. But what Brian Wilson did — especially from Pet Sounds forward — went beyond pop music. He cracked open the American heart and exposed something fragile, beautiful, and weirdly hopeful. This episode is our tribute.

The Beach Boys were actually the first concert I ever saw — at the Wisconsin State Fair around 1986. I was a kid, born in ’78, and it left a mark. But looking back now, I wonder if they were already on the decline by that point. I mean, it was the State Fair. That always felt like where bands went to die. Still, it was magical in its own way. I saw them again much later — probably around 2017 — with Mike Love leading the charge. It was good, and it was the Beach Boys in name, but it wasn’t the same. There was no Brian. And without Brian, the music loses something — that deeper soul, the experimental beauty, the emotional weight.

So we kick off this episode with the full Pet Sounds album, because honestly, how could we not? It’s an emotional cornerstone for millions of people. From there, we go deep into Sunflower, Surf’s Up, Brian Wilson Presents Smile, and wrap things up with part of Imagination. That final one isn’t as widely known, but it’s still Brian — and it felt right to include it.

If you’ve never heard Surf’s Up before… prepare yourself. That’s the kind of record that doesn’t just grow on you — it haunts you in the best way.

Next week, we shift gears a bit with Episode 1304 — not all new music, but definitely new to Rolling with Scissors. We’re spotlighting Morningstar, a powerful rock band out of Madison, featuring tracks from their earlier releases plus a brand new one that just dropped. I also had the chance to catch up with vocalist Amber Swenor for a great conversation about the band’s journey and what’s ahead. More on that soon.— but for now, let’s let Brian take us out to sea one more time.

Rest easy, Brian. And thank you.

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Hour 1

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

The Beach Boys – Wouldn’t It Be Nice – 2:33 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – You Still Believe in Me – 2:36 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – That’s Not Me – 2:30 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) – 2:53 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – I’m Waiting for the Day – 3:05 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Let’s Go Away for Awhile – 2:27 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Sloop John B – 2:56 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – God Only Knows – 2:54 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – I Know There’s an Answer – 3:11 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Here Today – 2:55 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times – 3:21 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds – 2:20 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Caroline, No – 2:54 – Pet Sounds – Capitol – 1966

The Beach Boys – Slip On Through – 2:19 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – This Whole World – 1:58 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Add Some Music to Your Day – 3:33 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

Hour 2

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

The Beach Boys – Got to Know the Woman – 2:40 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Deirdre – 3:30 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – It’s About Time – 2:56 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Tears in the Morning – 4:07 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – All I Wanna Do – 2:36 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Forever – 2:42 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Our Sweet Love – 2:40 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – At My Window – 2:32 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Cool, Cool Water – 5:03 – Sunflower – Capitol – 1970

The Beach Boys – Don’t Go Near the Water – 2:41 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Long Promised Road – 4:05 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Take a Load Off Your Feet – 2:33 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Disney Girls (1957) – 4:07 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Student Demonstration Time – 3:59 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Feel Flows – 4:44 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Lookin’ at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) – 1:59 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

Hour 3

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

The Beach Boys – A Day in the Life of a Tree – 3:08 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – ‘Til I Die – 2:33 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

The Beach Boys – Surf’s Up – 4:12 – Surf’s Up – Brother – 1971

Brian Wilson – Our Prayer – 1:05 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Gee – 0:51 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Heroes and Villains – 4:55 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Roll Plymouth Rock – 4:24 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Barnyard – 0:48 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine – 1:04 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Cabin Essence – 3:30 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Wonderful – 2:00 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Song for Children – 2:13 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Child Is Father of the Man – 2:16 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Surf’s Up – 4:10 – Brian Wilson Presents Smile – Nonesuch – 2004

Brian Wilson – Your Imagination – 3:57 – Imagination – Giant – 1998

Brian Wilson – Where Has Love Been – 2:13 – Imagination – Giant – 1998

Brian Wilson – Cry – 2:36 – Imagination – Giant – 1998

Brian Wilson – Lay Down Burden – 3:42 – Imagination – Giant – 1998 [fade out]

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Rolling with Scissors airs live every Tuesday from 2–5 AM on 89.9 FM in Madison and streams at wortfm.org. Missed it? You can catch the episode for two weeks after broadcast at archive.wortfm.org or at rwsradio.com.

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