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From a council estate to Beach Boys tour manager

Susie Rack
BBC News, West Midlands
Darren Harriott
BBC Radio WM
Tomes PR Two men smiling, Brian Wilson on the right in a colourful shirt with pictures of pink and green floral garlands and yellow buses. The man on the left has a pale blue jumper over a striped shirt and is wearing a Brian Wilson Sir yellow badge. They are sitting in a dimly-lit room.Tomes PR
Barry Tomes has managed Brian Wilson's tours over a period of more than 40 years

A former tour manager for the Beach Boys has said the legendary frontman Brian Wilson would want to be remembered for his music.

The 82-year-old Californian singer's death was announced by his family on Wednesday, saying they were heartbroken.

Barry Tomes, who worked with the band on and off over 45 years, remembered a pinch-me moment when he first joined them on tour.

"I fly out of Northfield [in Birmingham] and I'm in South Africa, I'm standing watching the Beach Boys. I'm crying, because I'm like, wow, how did this happen?" he said.

"It's quite surreal - I'm 25 years old, I'm a kid from a council estate in Northfield, and I'm a tour manager."

Getty Images The Beach Boys pose for a portrait with a surfboard in August 1962 in Los Angeles, California. (L-R) Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, David Marks. They are wearing matching checked shirts buttoned up over white t-shirts, and jeans.Getty Images
The Beach Boys, pictured in 1962 with Wilson far left, were one of the biggest bands of the era

The Beach Boys were one of the USA's biggest bands of the 1960s, who introduced surf-rock to worldwide audience with songs like I Get Around, Surfin' USA and Good Vibrations.

The group was formed by Wilson with his younger brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine.

Jardine has paid tribute to Wilson as a "humble musical giant" with "huge musical intellect".

Mr Tomes, who had already worked with Alvin Stardust and Lulu before joining the Beach Boys on tour, described Wilson as "amazing" and his music as "timeless".

"Brian was a very complex character. 'Genius' has been used a lot which is absolutely true," he said.

"He always came back to music and that's the important thing."

Getty Images Sir Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson shake hands. They are both seated in a dark room and looking at the camera. Sir Paul is wearing a grey suit and blue striped shirt and Wilson has a black, yellow and white long-sleeved polo shirt.Getty Images
Sir Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson's respective bands had a friendly rivalry in the 1960s

Speaking of the group's friendly rivalry with The Beatles, Mr Tomes said Wilson had initially abandoned his Smile album in the 1960s when he heard Sgt Pepper, "because he said it wasn't good enough".

Eventually publishing it 45 years later, Wilson said he put the album on the shelf as it was "too far ahead of our time".

'Best song ever written'

Sir Paul McCartney has written that he was "privileged to be around Wilson's "bright shining light for a little while".

Mr Tomes said: "Brian was in awe of The Beatles and I remember at one of the gigs for the Smile album Paul McCartney was there and he said he believed that God Only Knows was the best song ever written... and he's probably right."

Now a publicist, Mr Tomes described his memories of the band as "so special" and added he had kept in touch with them over the years.

Despite the sadness around Wilson's death, he said the "music lives on".

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