Most cutting of all, Mike Love - Wilson's co-writer on many of The Beach Boys' biggest hits - damned Smile as "a whole album of Brian's madness". Discouraged by the reception given to Smile, and beset by mental illness, Brian Wilson pulled the plug on this work-in-progress in 1967.

Paul McCartney is paying tribute to music icon Brian Wilson following the death Wednesday of the Beach Boys co-founder. “Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special.

"I thought he was going to get better," says Beach Boys co-founder Jardine, who had been hoping to have Wilson make a guest appearance on his upcoming solo tour