Nicky Wonder / Nick Walusko has died (Wondermints) *

Brian Wilson's social media accounts have just posted that Nicky Wonder has passed. Haven't been able to find anything from other sources as to what has happened.

I'm not very familiar with his/The Wondermints work, outside of playing with Brian, but what I did hear was pretty damn good. I'll be forever grateful that he started that band that reinvigorated Brian, and gave us all SMiLE. Thank you, Nicky.

 

Sadly, Nick has passed. He was a great musician.

 

And he was part of the band that got Brian on the road for in 1999, and especially 2000.

 

Wow - very sad to hear! RIP and condolences to his family and all who knew him.

 

Just heard as well... I am in shock...

 

Woooww. Huge blow. Healing vibes to his family and friends. He was an amazing player.

 

Very sad news
Peace and love✌ to his family and friends

 

Nick added so much to the many Brian shows I saw over the years. Thank you and RIP.

 

Can you believe that we now live in a world without one of the Wondermints? I'm just devastated! RIP, Nicky...

 

Very sad to hear. Thanks Nicky for helping get Brian back on his feet

 

He was an essential part of the band since the very first tour. I can't imagine them playing without him.

 

He was the best part of the last Brian show I saw two summers ago. He'll be missed.

 

RIP.

 

It is nice to see that Brian has acknowledged the passing of his touring band member.

 

The first concert of the new tour starts in a half hour.

 

Such very sad news here. Having all of the Wondermints releases and seeing Brian numerous times I always so appreciated the tasty licks Nicky had provided. He surely will be missed. I will spin some Wondermints this weekend in tribute to such an excellent musician who I truly enjoyed over many of a year.

 

The Wondermints were a great little band that I wish would've spent more time recording and less time backing up Brian Wilson. Oh, well...

Rest in peace, Nick.

 

It seemed like being in on a wonderful little secret getting into Wondermints on the ground floor by way of their debut album (initially a Japan only release nonetheless). Not the deepest catalogue out there but it burns brightly. RIP Nick, your significant contributions to musical history will never be questioned.

 

We owe Nick Walusko an enormous debt for helping retrieve and save some of the finest music of our time—out of love. From a 2004 interview with Darian Sahanaja in Crutchfield Advisor:

“The whole reason SMiLE came up was that Nick mentioned that he had just driven from Los Angeles to San Diego to a great little record store that sold underground and bootleg records. So, he drove the 100+ miles to get a copy of the very first vinyl bootleg of SMiLE. So he bought it and it was a really hot day, well, the record got warped on the car ride home. Then in an act of desperation, coupled with a degree of naivete, he tried to iron it flat. Of course that totally ruined it for good and he was really upset.”

I am sad for the loss of his family and friends.

 

Well $hit. I probably listened to the Wondermints as much as any band in the 90s/00s. RIP Nicky Wonder.

 

I only said a fleeting hello-plus-sentence-or-two to Nick while talking at length with Paul von Mertens after a Toronto show in 2015, but he was there for each of the nine Brian gigs I’ve seen since 2000. He didn't play on the two June '2012 Beach Boys C50 shows I saw, but he was involved with most of that tour, too. Heck, he may have played more Brian gigs of all the 'Mints, given some of the others' occasional absences.

We’re all getting longer in the tooth, but this ranks as a sad shock. Fifty-nine is so very, very young.

Fine singer, a really strong, tasteful guitarist, and a fount of great musical appreciation. Such an integral part of the BW live legacy, but his own compositions for the Wondermints are winners, too. Always wished that band had found time to record more of their own. I've been humming them all evening.

RIP Nicky Wonder.

 

Hi. This is Lindsay Planer. I penned that 2004 article that included the interview with Darian Sahanaja in Crutchfield Advisor. Glad you enjoyed it. RIP to Nicky Wonder.

 

Bummer. Great musician who added a lot to Brain’s shows.

 

For anyone wishing to read the article I penned in 2004 that included the interview with Darian Sahanaja in Crutchfield Advisor here it is: Looking for an interview I remember reading...

 

Here is a bit size interview from a great DVD that came out some years back.
Darian & Nicky chattin....