There are certain things that have become synonymous with summertime, hotdogs at the ball park, fireworks on the Fourth of July and the Beach Boys. With their classic surf sound no other musical group brings back the feelings of lying on the beach or barbecuing with friends quite like them. The Wilson Brothers, Brian, Carl and Dennis along with their cousin Mike Love stormed onto the musical scene with a special brand of American pop that topped the charts. In 1966 the Beach Boys released their 11th studio album, the iconic “Pet Sounds” a record that many tout as the finest example of pop music ever written. The genius behind it all is the extraordinarily gifted singer/songwriter Brian Wilson who tells his tale in his latest book, “I Am Brian Wilson.”
The book is a story of Brian’s life and family as well as his battle with mental illness and his struggle with drugs. It’s no secret that Wilson is both talented and troubled and in the book he does an excellent job of giving the reader an inside peek into the inner workings of his mind and the “voices” that haunt him. Much of the book focuses on Wilson’s relationship with two very controlling figures in his life; his much maligned father who he both feared and admired and later Dr. Eugene Landy who began treating Wilson for his problems but eventually led him down a much darker path. Wilson’s accounts come across as genuine with honest and open stories of coming to terms with his illness and the effects it had on the band and his relationships with his wives and family members. Brian’s memoirs take you through his life with ease as the story flows from the early days of the Beach Boys through Wilson’s downward spiral until it comes back full circle with the completion of the “Smile” album and his successful solo career.
Not only is the book an entertaining read, it helps to shine some light on the very real issues of a life with mental illness, something that sadly remains in the shadows even today often carrying a stigma that no one will acknowledge. By sharing his personal journey in “I Am Brian Wilson,” Wilson offers a gentle reminder that nobody’s life is perfect and that everyone, even one of our heroes is human.
