Brian Wilson Day in Los Angeles

Now there’s something you don’t see every day: two L.A. City Council members, hand in hand, dancing in the council chamber’s aisles during a midday meeting.

It happened earlier today: Tom LaBonge was spinning Janice Hahn to the sounds of the Beach Boys’ “Be True to Your School” as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proclaimed Sept. 12 as “Brian Wilson Day” in Los Angeles.

Their fancy footwork was preceded by a short video clip with highlights of Wilson’s 1960s heyday with the group he formed in Hawthorne with brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love and neighborhood friend Al Jardine.

LaBonge, a longtime music fan, sponsored the official recognition for Wilson in conjunction with the artist's three performances this weekend at the Hollywood Bowl.

“He created our idea of California,” Councilman Jack Weiss said of Wilson as he introduced LaBonge and the musician. “He took little bits and pieces of what was going on in Southern California, put them together and that became the image of California for the nation and the rest of the world.”

Villaraigosa recalled seeing Bishop Desmond Tutu dancing to the music of Wilson’s band when they performed last summer, citing it as an example of how that music has found fans around the world.

Wilson, accompanied by his wife, Melinda, and their three children, said, “In my life I’ve had many highlights, but this is one of the biggest.... I’ve been singing about L.A. and California for all my career.”

-- Randy Lewis

Photo: From left, Tom LaBonge, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Brian Wilson, Melinda Wilson and City Atty. Jack Weiss. Credit: Courtesy of the Office of Tom LaBonge.