Lindsey Buckingham Believes Only One Band Changed The World

Lindsey Buckingham, renowned for his work with Fleetwood Mac, has expressed his belief that only one band has truly changed the world: The Beach Boys. Buckingham’s songs have touched millions of hearts, often providing solace during times of heartache. However, before he began writing songs about his own emotions, there was one band from the 1960s that he could always rely on to soothe a broken heart: The Beach Boys.

Buckingham’s early musical career was rooted in the bluegrass world, where he favored a finger-picked guitar instead of the usual pick approach.

While he admired acts like The Beatles, it wasn’t until The Beach Boys emerged that he began to pay serious attention.

The Beach Boys, known for their tuneful odes to surf culture during the British Invasion era, captivated listeners with their unique sound. Brian Wilson, the band’s bassist and creative force, was instrumental in crafting this sound. His knowledge of hooks and ability to twist conventional pop music inside out resulted in iconic songs like ‘California Girls’ and ‘Good Vibrations’.

 

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In an interview with Rolling Stone, Buckingham expressed his admiration for Wilson’s approach to rock music.

He said,

“They may have sold the California Dream to a lot of people, but for me, it was Brian Wilson showing how far you might have to go in order to make your own musical dream come true…In the process, he really rocked the boat and changed the world.”

Wilson’s willingness to step outside the norm when working on The Beach Boys’ album Pet Sounds resulted in a kaleidoscope of different soundscapes throughout the record. This innovative approach to music deeply influenced Buckingham as he was coming up in the rock scene.

Buckingham faced similar challenges when working on Fleetwood Mac’s long-awaited double album, Tusk.

He recalled,

“I would relate to Brian’s struggle as an artist against a machine that tended toward serving the bottom line. Music meant much more to him than that. He was trying to do something bigger than that with his teenage symphonies to God.”

Both Buckingham and Wilson share a common thread in their approach to songwriting. Rather than focusing solely on catchy hooks, both artists sought to create music that would remain relevant and impactful for decades to come.