American abstract artist and Hawk bandleader, David Hawkins, is set to unveil his third album with the orchestral art-rock supergroup Be, titled “Here.” This captivating release draws inspiration from The Beach Boys’ timeless “Pet Sounds” and is a heartfelt dedication to Brian Wilson. However, listeners can also discern hints of mystical Beatles psychedelia and the intertwined hum of The Velvet Underground among its many influences.

The album “Here” features an impressive lineup of rock luminaries, including Morgan Fisher (known for his work with Mott the Hoople and Queen), Paul Von Mertens (Brian Wilson’s musical director), the legendary drummer Pete Thomas (renowned for his collaborations with Elvis Costello and Elliott Smith), and guest vocals by Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, among others. Notably, the album was mastered and co-mixed by Mike Hagler, who has worked with artists such as Wilco, My Morning Jacket, and Mekons.

David Hawkins shares the story of how “Here” came to be.

Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

I wrote most of the album in the fraught early days of the pandemic. Making music has always been kind of therapeutic for me, so when lockdown started I dove deep into recording – as a way to sort through some of those emotions, to go inside myself, and to get away from the news cycle.

I had been listening to Pet Sounds a lot (it’s always been kind of a balm and a place of refuge for me since I was a teenager) and I was moved to tears listening to it one day after reading all the terrible news. The yearning and emotion in Brian’s music was so powerful that it made me want to try to build an altar to it – with my own songs, but influenced by Brian’s arrangements and musical vocabulary.

I spent months crafting the songs – experimenting with different instrument combinations and honing the details. I really went down the rabbit hole – it was so engrossing and cathartic. I would do a lot of my musical parts first and then send it to my friend Randy Morris in Taos, NM to add drums and he would send it back and we’d dive into the next one. (As I went deeper into it, other influences, like the Velvet Underground and the Beatles Indian songs, became apparent.)

Once we had the basic tracks done, I would add more instrument and vocal tracks myself and then send the song to the others (Morgan Fisher in Tokyo, Paul Von Mertens (Brian Wilson Band’s Musical Director) in Chicago, Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello’s drummer) here in LA, Matthew Pittman and Regan Souders – with notes on what I was thinking, and they would record their parts, which I would then incorporate into the mixes as we went. Over time it evolved into a rich, orchestrated work. No one can make music like Brian, so I realize even mentioning him sets it up to pale in comparison, but it’s my way of honoring how much his music has meant to me.

And I’ve never spent this much time making – and mixing – an album before. My good friend Mike Hagler (Wilco, My Morning Jacket) co-mixed the album with me and mastered it. There were so many instrument and vocal tracks that it took us weeks to finally hone it down to a final mix we were happy with and master it. It was really a labor of love (in the best possible way), and it came right when we all needed something to focus on. The music kind of helped us get through that difficult time – and we had so much fun making it. I’ll never forget it.

Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?

We knew from the feeling we had when we were making it that it was something special (at least to us – hopefully to others too). It was such an extraordinary time anyway, and I think the stress and isolation of lockdown made making music even more therapeutic than usual. It felt almost nourishing; like an emotional sustenance or something. The others felt the same way – it really gave us an outlet when we needed it most.

As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

When I started making music, it was purely a personal / spiritual thing; it wasn’t intended to be public. But my girlfriend at the time really liked my songs and ended up sharing them with (Chicago powerhouse) WXRT and some clubs, and it started getting played and I got asked to play live, so it just kind of started rolling from there. So yeah, it’s a journey of finding comfort with sharing it, for sure. I love making music so much and I guess I’m getting used to sharing it – vulnerability and all – because after every release I hear from people about how the songs have touched them somehow or made them feel something, and that makes it feel like it’s worth sharing. It completes the cycle somehow.

With the record completed and the music released, do you believe the pinnacle of enjoyment has been reached, or is this just the beginning of an exciting phase?

It’s all exciting to me, but I think the big moments for me are when I first write each song – that’s a sacred moment – and again when we finish mixing and mastering the album. By the time an album gets released, I’ve usually moved on in my mind – musically anyway – to the next project.

For me, the doing of it and the making of the songs and records is the thing. Sharing it is really fun too – and the completion of the process, but when I started making music it was mainly for myself, and it still is. Once I’ve captured the song and finished it, that’s the success to me. Like now, I’m in the midst of working on the next album. It’s fun to see everyone’s response, and to re-experience the record through them, but the writer part of me has already moved on.

Among the compliments you’ve received, is there one that remains etched in your memory? If so, what made it particularly unforgettable?

I think one of my favorite compliments was one of the simplest & straightforward ones I’ve ever gotten. I was at Lollapalooza and this guy in the bleachers recognized me from a show we (my other band, Hawk) had just played at the Double Door (club) and he got really excited and started screaming really loud “Dude!! You ROCK!!!” And told his friends “that’s that guy I was telling you about!” You ROCK man!!! Everyone was trying to figure out who he was yelling about and it turned out to be ME! (laughs). My friends thought that was really cool. It was hilarious and it took me by surprise, but it made me feel good, like we were really getting through to people. Music is so powerful that way and I’m really grateful to be able to do it. Thanks for listening everyone, and we’ll see you out on the road!