As far as I can tell, Brian Wilson is in a good mood. Speaking from his Los Angeles home, the legendary Beach Boys mastermind certainly sounds upbeat, laughing when his dogs interrupt us, and seems enthusiastic about bringing "Pet Sounds," his opulent masterpiece, to Japan to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
"Japanese audiences are the best audiences except for Australia," he says. "They like American music better than Americans!"
The problem is, as far as journalists are concerned, Wilson's mood seems to make little difference. Now 73, and with a story of childhood trauma, drug abuse and mental illness nearly as famous as the incredible music he created during the 1960s, he cuts a frail figure, unwilling — or unable — to converse on any meaningful level.