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Podcast Episode

The Story of Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys: The boy who built a musical revolution

GARAGE TO STADIUMS Music History Podcast·Dave Anthony·7 August 2026·1h 2m

About this episode

In this repeat episode explore one of the most influential figures in modern music history - Brian Wilson leader of The Beach Boys.  Known for layered orchestrations and an innovative approach to studio recording, Brian influenced artists like The Beatles, Elton John, Queen, The Eagles and more. Incredibly, Brian created one of rock’s great lost albums - Smile begun in 1966 - but it was shelved for 37 years. Decades later... our guest today, David Leaf, helped bring it to the world.  You'll learn:1) Brian's abusive upbringing and how it shaped him and his music 2) How 5 teenagers went to global stardom 6 months after forming 3) How Brian influenced The Beatles musical direction 4) The incredible story of how Brian overcame a corrupt psychologist controlling his life 5) How our guest helped rescue a "lost album" long anticipated in rock historyWant more music history?   Subscribe to our bonus Garage to Stadium content across our social + web channelsGuest Bio David Leaf is the author of Smile: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Brian Wilson, chronicling Brian Wilson’s lost album masterpiece which was shelved for 37 years before release. He also directed the Brian documentary Beautiful Dreamer and teaches music history at UCLA.  David has won a Peabody award for powerful and intelligent story-telling. Follow the Show / Receive bonus content:Follow GTS on Apple or Spotify podcasts to be alerted when our next episode dropsFollow Garage to Stadiums (GTS) on social channels  Download the Official Garage to Stadiums playlists for each episode on Apple Music or SpotifyVisit GaragetoStadiums.com for bonus content, including concert footage, transcripts and other interesting facts.