David Leaf on Brian Wilson, SMiLE & The Beach Boys
Release Date: 07/14/2026
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info_outlineDavid Leaf on Brian Wilson, SMiLE & The Beach Boys
In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome back acclaimed writer, filmmaker, and UCLA professor David Leaf for a funny, wide-ranging, and surprisingly moving conversation about music, storytelling, teaching, and his deeply personal friendship with Brian Wilson. What starts with mocktails and comedy banter turns into a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Pet Sounds, SMiLE, The Beatles, and what it really means to devote your life to great art.David shares how he moved to Los Angeles determined to write about Brian Wilson, how that dream eventually led him into Wilson’s inner circle, and why helping bring SMiLE back to life became one of the defining missions of his career. He also talks about teaching legendary UCLA music courses, the “four Ds of success,” documentary filmmaking, movie scores, and why the emotional power of music matters more than technical theory.
Guest Info
David Leaf is an award-winning writer, director, producer, and one of the most respected chroniclers of The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. He is the author of The Beach Boys and the California Myth, God Only Knows, and SMiLE: The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Brian Wilson. He also teaches at UCLA, where he leads acclaimed classes on The Beatles, songwriting, and music documentaries.
Guest Social Links
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Website: leafprod.com
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Instagram: @davidleafwriter
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Facebook: David Leaf
Drink of the Podcast
Molto Bene Ginger Beer Mocktail
Sarah and Rich sip an alcohol-free mocktail built around Molto Bene ginger beer, while also shouting out San Benedetto, the Italian water brand behind it. They discuss why they love alcohol-free options, sparkling water, and beverages with no sodium making this one of the more mocktail-forward episodes of the show.
Chapters
00:58 What they’re drinking: Molto Bene ginger beer mocktails
04:59 Introducing return guest David Leaf
06:33 California drought talk, comedy, and desert living
09:42 David on life, relationships, and long engagements
11:39 Teaching at UCLA and why students don’t read
18:54 The Beatles, Yoko Ono, and music storytelling
20:15 David’s move to L.A. to write about Brian Wilson
22:16 The accidental rise of The Beach Boys
24:03 David’s “four Ds of success”
27:20 Movie scores, composers, and how music shapes film
31:43 David’s new book: SMiLE: The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Brian Wilson
35:15 Pet Sounds, Good Vibrations, and the collapse of SMiLE
41:54 Helping Brian Wilson finally complete SMiLE
48:40 Writing process, oral history, and preserving music history
55:08 Where to find David Leaf online
59:14 Host plugs, thank-yous, and sponsor shout-outs
Call to Action
If you loved this episode, make sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share Drinking During Business Hours on YouTube. Follow Sarah Halstead, Rich Chassler, and David Leaf for more comedy, music stories, behind-the-scenes entertainment talk, and future episodes with incredible guests. And if you’re a fan of Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, or great music documentaries, this is an episode you’ll want to revisit.
Host Links
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Rich
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Podcast
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