Dennis Wilson's 68th Birthday Today

[D409]

By the way, folks, today would've been Dennis' 68th birthday :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGIRu32EqME&feature=youtu.be

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Happy Birthday, Dennis!
Wish you were here!
You would have been perfect on Pacific Coast Highway.

[MBE]

A lot of neat stuff on facebook today. Even Mike Love (or his people) posted a video of Forever and it's Dennis not Stamos!

[CarCrazyCutie]

Happy Birthday Surfer Boy!!! I'm sure he would've enjoyed this year more than anyone. Never be another like him

[the professor]

Does any one ever go out to the tragic spot in the Marina (which is locked unless you have your own boat there) and just sort of stare into the water.  I don't want to do that. . . .but I understand the melancholic urge to visit that spot. Dennis was later buried at sea, but though I have seen the latitude and longitude published somewhere, I don't suppose one could venture out to sea to that spot.  A better idea: put on POB.

[Pretty Funky]

I stayed in a hotel 2-3 years ago about a 10min walk from the spot so kind of felt I should. It was just after I had watched 'The Real BB' doco where these scenes were filmed. (from 3min)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BlkhF3Jo2Y

Not a sad place at all and music was being played at a restaurant close by. Seemed fitting.

[Kurosawa]

I wish Dennis had known just how great he was. He was one of a kind.

[jeremylr]

Our own Mike Eder, Andrew G. Doe, Craig Slowinski, and Jon Stebbins consented to a hastily put together but ultimately rewarding interview earlier today about Dennis.

Like heat from a blast furnace: The sheer raw force of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson
http://www.examiner.com/article/like-heat-from-a-blast-furnace-the-sheer-raw-force-of-beach-boy-dennis-wilson

[Don Malcolm]

Proud and honored to share a birthday with the one-of-a-kind Dennis Wilson. Excellent interview, thanks for posting. Eloquent and heartfelt--especially Andrew (!!!). 

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Proud and honored to share a birthday with the one-of-a-kind Dennis Wilson. Excellent interview, thanks for posting. Eloquent and heartfelt--especially Andrew (!!!). 

Happy Birthday, Man!

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Our own Mike Eder, Andrew G. Doe, Craig Slowinski, and Jon Stebbins consented to a hastily put together but ultimately rewarding interview earlier today about Dennis.

Like heat from a blast furnace: The sheer raw force of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson
http://www.examiner.com/article/like-heat-from-a-blast-furnace-the-sheer-raw-force-of-beach-boy-dennis-wilson

Great interview. We're really lucky to have such wise people here!

Andrew, your meeting Dennis story is very touching. Thanks for sharing.

[the professor]

This was so satisfying emotional and intellectually to read today; I salute our scholar brothers for their insight and generosity in marking this memorial.  The now famous "Everything that I am or will ever be is in the music. If you want to know me, just listen" remains one of the great literary epitaphs in poetic history. To me it's up there with Keats' "here lies one whose name was writ in water." I have both POB and the Bamboo in the car stereo; I promise to listen all week and help us all keep Dennis alive. From what I teach, from Gilgamesh and Homer on down through Shakespeare, I learned that the only way to achieve immortality is through art. Dennis has made it, and he continues to give us eternal joy. Back to the grading. . . .I leave so much unsaid.

[Jay]

Thought I would post this as a little "tribute", even though a certain member kind of "intrudes" for a second or two. This really is an awesome performance. It makes me wonder if John Lennon ever heard it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjmITL1qhAQ

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Happy Birthday Dennis! Pity you couldn't be here - but your music will live forever.

[MBE]

I am so happy to be included in such good company in the article. Honored really.

[D409]

Very good article, wonderful recollections of Dennis !

[Jay]

it was a great article, indeed. It was quite sad, however. Particularly Andrew's story about meeting Dennis. It's tragic to think that Dennis apperantly genuinely didn't seem to realise just how great he was as a musician in his own right away from the group, and how loved he was

[The Heartical Don]

it was a great article, indeed. It was quite sad, however. Particularly Andrew's story about meeting Dennis. It's tragic to think that Dennis apperantly genuinely didn't seem to realise just how great he was as a musician in his own right away from the group, and how loved he was

I singled this comment out for touching upon something that I felt too... but I do love all comments in this thread, and want to thank those involved for the great interview, and sharing their views with us.

I always thought that Denny's way of behaving somehow hid a wounded and insecure personality - not surprising, given his difficult childhood. Many people like to put a lot of emphasis on his substance use, perhaps because sensationalism and gossip give them satisfaction. For me, it is pretty obvious that Dennis self-medicated in a huge way. At heart he was a generous and shy man, I guess. That explains to me why he didn't really realise how great he was himself, in musical terms - as Jay notes.

PS: in psychiatry, substance abuse is defined as an illness with causes that lie outside the realm of the symptoms of abuse itself. I don't want to downplay the severity of abuse, I want to stress the importance of its true causes: anxiety disorders, depression, and low self-esteem often lie behind it.

[ESQ Editor]

http://www.examiner.com/article/dennis-wilson-s-memory-celebrated-beach-boys-magazine

[SloopJohnnyB]

Great stories by all! Thanks for sharing.

I remember cutting out the Rolling Stone magazine album review for Pacific Ocean Blue. I bought POB along with Dwight Twilley's 'Twilley Don't Mind' (at Flo's Records, Downtown). I remember that day quite well. I remember taking it home and listening and like most others, being blown away. I ended up writing my own album review in my High School music appreciation class. While others wrote their papers on bands like Led Zeppelin and The Eagles, I proudly introduced my peers to Pacific Ocean Blue and Dennis Wilson. I had at least one person tell that that they also bought the album and the teacher of the music appreciaition class was also a Beach Boys fan. I ended up seeing her at the Three Rivers Stadium concert with the Beach Boys and special guests Jan and Dean. Huge, huge crowd. Good times. You could tell the BB's were 'partying'. They were having a great time along with everyone else. As it turned out maybe they were partying a little too much. I was always disappointed when Dennis couldn't make the shows but I was never mad, I understood. I believe he was there in support of the Light Album, I remember him singing 'Angel Come Home' at the Civic Arena. All great memories!

Happy Birthday Dennis!  And Thank you! 

[Shady]

Happy Birthday Dennis.

He was so young 

[jeremylr]

This was so satisfying emotional and intellectually to read today; I salute our scholar brothers for their insight and generosity in marking this memorial.  The now famous "Everything that I am or will ever be is in the music. If you want to know me, just listen" remains one of the great literary epitaphs in poetic history. To me it's up there with Keats' "here lies one whose name was writ in water." I have both POB and the Bamboo in the car stereo; I promise to listen all week and help us all keep Dennis alive. From what I teach, from Gilgamesh and Homer on down through Shakespeare, I learned that the only way to achieve immortality is through art. Dennis has made it, and he continues to give us eternal joy. Back to the grading. . . .I leave so much unsaid.

The Professor, I appreciate your insightful remarks about Dennis' birthday article, especially for singling out the "Everything that I am or will ever be is in the music. If you want to know me, just listen" line and comparing it to Keats. I'd never thought of that. It is indeed a great literary epitaph and sums him up in a nutshell.