Brian Wilson To Finish The Incomplete Songs Of George Gershwin

The Beach Boy's Brian Wilson has reached an agreement with Disney Records and the estate of George Gershwin to let Wilson complete and record the unfinished songs of George Gershwin.

Gershwin left a collection of several dozen song fragments, which have been sitting around, largely untouched, for more than seven decades.

"This is the most spiritual project I've ever worked on," said Wilson, in a statement. "He had a gift for melody that nobody has ever equalled, yet his music is timeless and always accessible."

"I've always loved George Gershwin," added Wilson. "The earliest music I remember hearing is Rhapsody in Blue."

Now, George Gershwin and Brian Wilson are both geniuses of their respective genres, but the project sounds a bit like calling up Ozzy to tidy up the loose ends on Mahler's 10th Symphony, doesn't it?

What do you think of the idea of a Gershwin/Wilson collaboration?

via LATimes

James Lewin
Twitter @podcasting_news

Gershwin created great music (and had great collaborators) coming out of having deep roots and influences from Jewish musical tradition, Broadway, Black gospel and blues tradition and a strong classical background. Even at Brian Wilson's pop height with the Beach Boys in the 60's he couldn't touch Gershwin and having listened to Brian's latest stuff, unless I'm missing something, I don't know why anyone would think he could add anything to the Gershwin legacy.

09-Oct-09 11:29 AM

Hmm, I would have to agree the Wilson brand is obviously a great big one, but his talents kind got erased with the years of abuse and medication and reliant on leeching quacks.

It is a really bizarre idea

09-Oct-09 12:15 PM

Disney, huh? I'm surprised they didn't give this honor to the Jonas brother and Hanna Montana...

09-Oct-09 01:16 PM

SMILE sucked, Give it up Brain. The Beatles Won,

09-Oct-09 02:33 PM

I used to love and respect Brian Wilson, simply for creating some of the most amazing music of the last century. I thought the old smile fragments and the newer smile were astounding achievements.

This, however, is a multi-million dollar piss on a dead genius' grave. Shameful

10-Oct-09 05:47 AM

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