Brian Wilson fought for The Beach Boys to be played on the radio
While The Beatles were initially synonymous with the Cavern Club and the city of Liverpool, their swift global ascent led them to establish roots across the globe. In contrast, for The Beach Boys, the sun-kissed shores of California were part of their essence right from the outset.
At the helm of their harmonious melodies and intricate vocal arrangements was Brian Wilson, the musical genius and driving force behind the band’s success. The Beach Boys’ early music wholly embodied the spirit of Southern California, blending vocal harmonies with catchy tunes that celebrated the carefree lifestyle, beaches, and cars of the West Coast.
Apart from the subtle references to the West Coast in tracks like ‘Surfin’ USA’ and ‘Surfin’ Safari’, the Beach Boys also paid obvious homage through classics like ‘California Girls’. However, a lesser-known ode to the state lies within the band’s narrative of Californian history with ‘Heroes and Villains’. This song aimed to encapsulate the golden era of the state but unwittingly led the band towards a potential breaking point.
Following the success of ‘Good Vibrations’, Wilson felt adamant about ‘Heroes and Villains’ being a robust and worthy follow-up. He felt so passionate about the song that he thought it ought to be released on a specific day and time and proceeded to beg a radio station to give the song airplay. Other members of the band weren’t very pleased with this approach.
Wilson’s desire to release ‘Heroes and Villians’ at a specific time stemmed from his interest in astrology. As July ended, Wilson sensed a cosmic alignment, prompting his desire to unveil his song ‘Heroes and Villains’ at the same time. During the late hours one night, Wilson, accompanied by future Beach Boys producer Terry Melcher, made their way to a radio station. Wilson approached the station’s DJ, requesting they play the song.
Initially met with refusal, the DJ cited the absence of the song from his playlist. Melcher wasn’t very happy. “The DJ called the program director — Bill Drake — and handed the phone to Terry,” Mike Love explained in his book Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy. “‘Bill, I’m down here with Brian and Capitol,’ Terry said. ‘He wants to give you the exclusive for ‘Heroes and Villains’. Tell him to put the fucking record on right now, please. Thank you very much.”
Even though they eventually got what they wanted, for Love, this wasn’t a win at all. “The record was played, but from where Brian was just a few months ago — heralded on national television as the apostle of pop — to where he was now, literally begging to have his song played in the dead of night, the drop-off was dismaying,” he said.
Adding: “The single did reasonably well … but for a track that Brian envisioned as the successor to ‘Good Vibrations,’ it was another disappointment. That same month, July, Capital released Best of the Beach Boys Vol. 2, and even though it was packed with our hits, it fizzled at number 50.”
