Source: IMDb

Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys are synonymous with California and sunshine, yet the rocker once called Saint Charles, IL home.

Wilson’s Saint Charles home is now for sale for $1,490,000. Wilson wrote most of his 1998 album “Imagination” in the five-bedroom home, located 40 miles outside of Chicago.

The Beach Boys front man grew up in Southern California and spent most of his career as the Beach Boys’ song-writer and producer there. So, how did Wilson come to live in Illinois?

According to an article in the Daily Herald, good friend and top music producer Joe Thomas was living in Saint Charles at the time and convinced Wilson to buy the home next door for $1.4 million in 1997.

Together, Wilson and Thomas worked on producing “Imagination” in the new studio addition of Wilson’s home. Wilson added three recording rooms and a mixing room to the basement. The studio has separate security, air conditioning systems, and has been lined for sound control. Famous musicians often visited Wilson at his home, including Paul McCartney, Sean Lennon and Eagles band member Joe Walsh.

In 1999, following a fall-out with Thomas, Wilson moved back to California and his home was put on the Saint Charles real estate market. It sold two years later, in 2001, for $1.5 million.

Situated on over two acres in the Tony Crane Estates neighborhood, the home includes 6,527 square feet of living space, including 5 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. In addition to the recording studio space, the home features nine fireplaces, two master suites, library, solarium, media and rec center.

The 1996-built home is also completely private and includes a state-of-the art security system with cameras.

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Based on a 30-year fixed mortgage at a rate of 4.4 percent and assuming a 10 percent down payment, the monthly mortgage payment for this home is $9,085 per month, as quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace.

The listing is held by Betty Theisen-Placek of Coldwell Banker.