Look beyond the usual suspects credited as collaborators on the Weeknd’s just-released “Dawn FM” — think Max Martin, think Calvin Harris, think Oneohtrix Point Never — and you’ll find a more unexpected name in the album’s liner notes: Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys, who’s listed as a writer and producer on the track “Here We Go… Again” along with Rex Kudo, known for his studio work with Post Malone and the late Juice WRLD.
A shimmering soft-rock ballad with lush choral vocals and a tender yet witty lyric about sliding into a new romance, the song is one of “Dawn FM’s” clear standouts. But how exactly did Johnston, who at 79 continues to perform regularly with Mike Love’s touring version of the Beach Boys, get involved? I called him Friday at his home in Santa Barbara to find out.Take me back to the beginning of this song.
Here’s how it rolled out. I was put together with Sonny Moore — Skrillex — a couple summers ago. I kind of knew who he was. As a guy over 20, I’m not going out and doing many gigs with DJs. But so I went down to Shangri-La Studios across from Zuma Beach, where I surf, and we just hit it off. I met a guy named Heavy Mellow — what a guitar player. And I met Rex Kudo, who’s become my new brother in the last two years.We just started recording, making stuff up on the spot.
Anyway, these guys, they never stop recording. One time I got there and Rex was in a pup tent, sleeping on the grass after a session. Eventually, Rex says, “Come down to my house,” a little further down PCH. We have no Beach Boys shows because of the pandemic, so I go down and bring Christian along with me. Rex hands me a Bullet mic, the kind that Mick Jagger would use when he plays the harmonica, and we just start singing.
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