Published June 20, 1999, San Jose (CA) Mercury News
5 and 9 tonight June 20, A&E
Brian Wilson has been responsible for some of the most joyful pop music ever created. If only his life story could have been as sweet.
A&E's ''Biography'' on Beach Boy Brian, which premieres on his 57th birthday, tries earnestly to present an honest picture of his bumpy life. There are numerous recent interviews featuring Wilson, fellow Beach Boy Bruce Johnston, current wife Melinda Wilson, former wife Marilyn Wilson, Ginger Blake and Diane Rovell, Marilyn's former cohorts in the Honeys singing group, whose songs were produced by Wilson, biographer and friend David Leaf and two members of the famed studio musician group called the Wrecking Crew, among others.
Seen less often are Brian's late mother Audree (whose image comes from Brian's biography film ''I Just Wasn't Made for These Times,'' which is on video, and fellow Beach Boys Al Jardine and Mike Love. Brian's brothers Dennis and Carl are not interviewed and are rarely shown.
Sued by band mate
Wilson and Love have been at odds creatively at various times through the years. Brian was even sued by Love, who alleged that he'd never got credit for songs he had written. (Love won and was awarded $5 million.) While Love's short screen time won't cause many Beach Boys fans who revile him to lose sleep, certainly the absence of the beloved Carl, who died of cancer in February 1998, will.
Along with snippets of TV and film performances, and some very rare home-movie footage, a portrait of Wilson emerges that makes you wonder how he was able to create such positive music from such a turbulent life.
His father, Murry, who himself dreamed of a musical career and once got Lawrence Welk to perform one of his songs, was tyrannical and abusive. In one audio clip in the show that has circulated in more complete form on bootleg, he mockingly tells Brian at a recording session, ''I'm a genius, too.'' The session continues with tense exchanges between the two and finally, Brian kicks him out of the studio. Murry supposedly caused Brian's partial deafness with a blow to one of his ears.
In late 1964, while on a plane, Brian, who hated touring, fell to the floor screaming and sobbing. He returned to Los Angeles and spent his days creating in the studio while then little-known Glen Campbell took his place on stage.
The grown-up Brian added to his problems through extensive substance abuse and overeating, ballooning at one point to over 300 pounds and spending 2 1/2 years in bed. It wrecked his marriage with Marilyn and disrupted the lives of his two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, who later became two-thirds of the harmony-based singing group Wilson Phillips.
In late 1975, Dr. Eugene Landy was brought in by the family to save Wilson. He helped Wilson lose weight and get off drugs but was later fired by the family when his bill rose to $20,000 a month. He later was forced by a judge to end his work with Wilson after he allegedly had Brian rewrite his will. Landy later lost his license to practice in California.
New family, new work
Today, Wilson has a new wife, Melinda, whom he met through a date arranged by Landy. He has two newly adopted young daughters. He released his first album in ages last year called ''Imagination.'' These days, however, Brian isn't pushing to do new music. As he told one friend, ''My work is done.'' Some friends comment that he's complacent.
However, the music's still there. He's been touring for the first time since his Beach Boy days. Melinda says she still occasionally hears him play some beautiful songs on the piano. When asked if he has recorded them, he says, ''Nah.''
Oh, to be a fly on the wall at a time like that. Wouldn't it be nice?
