Murry Wilson and Sons

[Peter Reum]

Brian's friends saw the evidence...not one friend, but several.  I have personally spoken with at least three.No they were not spankings.

[Surfer]

I do understand why Dennis had Beatings from his Father.   The point to all of this is why would a Father beat up his own Children think about my father never beat me up in his life time. I have 2 words for you all Child Abuse.   If Audree saw Murry beating up his own sons would she call the Police on Murry?

[zachrwolfe]

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[The Heartical Don]

I do understand why Dennis had Beatings from his Father.   The point to all of this is why would a Father beat up his own Children think about my father never beat me up in his life time. I have 2 words for you all Child Abuse.   If Audree saw Murry beating up his own sons would she call the Police on Murry?

Well I really don't think Murry made much of an effort to conceal this, so I'd bet she had seen it and didn't call anyone, because she was probably afraid of what Murry would do. I also kind of doubt the police would have done much in those times. Child and family services may have taken away the children, but I'd imagine that's hardly what Audree would've wanted.

As far as I know from reading a couple of accounts, Audree was rather submissive (sort of absolutely afraid of any conflict with her husband); and later on resorted to alcohol to quench her own pain). Murry not only was abusive, but alcoholic himself, and unfaithful.

Not a really functional family, by these accounts.

[Cliff1000uk]

I do understand why Dennis had Beatings from his Father.   The point to all of this is why would a Father beat up his own Children think about my father never beat me up in his life time. I have 2 words for you all Child Abuse.   If Audree saw Murry beating up his own sons would she call the Police on Murry?

Well I really don't think Murry made much of an effort to conceal this, so I'd bet she had seen it and didn't call anyone, because she was probably afraid of what Murry would do. I also kind of doubt the police would have done much in those times. Child and family services may have taken away the children, but I'd imagine that's hardly what Audree would've wanted.

As far as I know from reading a couple of accounts, Audree was rather submissive (sort of absolutely afraid of any conflict with her husband); and later on resorted to alcohol to quench her own pain). Murry not only was abusive, but alcoholic himself, and unfaithful.

Not a really functional family, by these accounts.

Not sure if you guys have seen this (I searched here but couldn't find anything). It's a draft of a will Murry did in 1964 and his paranoia and attitude towards Audree is like that of a broken man. I don't have a direct link but go to http://memorabilia.hardrock.com/ and search Beach Boys. It's on the top row.

EDIT: Looking up on Bellagio, the date of August 7 ties in with the period when Murry and Audree moved from Hawthorne and seperated just after

[Mike's Beard]

What I always find equally heatbreaking and chilling is that to look at any family picture of the Wilson's you'd think that there couldn't possibly be a more typical, suburban, boring, whitebread, middle class 1950's/60's American family than them.

Also whatever else you may care to think of Mike Love, he has my eternal respect for the time he'd gotten so sick of Murry trashing Brian on the way home from a gig/studio session, that he stopped the car, ordered Murry out and then punched the old bastard onto his ass.

[leggo of my ego]

Thats why you cant judge a book by its cover.

Mike did that? Bully for him! Murry was just mean, mean, mean.

[Myk Luhv]

Except for Dennis, and sometimes Brian, Mike seemed to be the only one who never bothered to downplay his contempt for Murry, who certainly earned it! Wasn't it in Endless Harmony that Mike states very tersely that he was glad the Wilson home in Hawethorne was torn down because of how abusive Murry was under that roof?

[Mikie]

Also whatever else you may care to think of Mike Love, he has my eternal respect for the time he'd gotten so sick of Murry trashing Brian on the way home from a gig/studio session, that he stopped the car, ordered Murry out and then punched the old bastard onto his ass.

Don't remember hearing that story before. Is that around the time they kicked Murry out as their manager? What's the source? The Gaines book?

I'd like to hear more details about the "I Get Around" session where Brian threw Murry up against the wall and punched him. Don't think it's ever been published about what led up to it or the final straw leading up his ouster as manager. Maybe the IGA session was it.

[zachrwolfe]

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[Mikie]

Maybe Brian just threw him against the wall and didn't punch him. I don't remember. It's definitely not on tape though. Only IGA session(s) that have been booted are instrumental rehearsals and about 15 takes and and insert, a vocal overdub, and the whole instrumental track in stereo. I'd love to hear the vocal takes.

[Mike's Beard]

Also whatever else you may care to think of Mike Love, he has my eternal respect for the time he'd gotten so sick of Murry trashing Brian on the way home from a gig/studio session, that he stopped the car, ordered Murry out and then punched the old bastard onto his ass.

Don't remember hearing that story before. Is that around the time they kicked Murry out as their manager? What's the source? The Gaines book?

I'd like to hear more details about the "I Get Around" session where Brian threw Murry up against the wall and punched him. Don't think it's ever been published about what led up to it or the final straw leading up his ouster as manager. Maybe the IGA session was it.

Damn, it's in one of the biographies - possibly the Gaines book Mikie but don't quote me on it. AGD would be able to answer in a second.

[KittyKat]

Child abuse was rampant back then. It's still around now, although there's more awareness of it so people are inclined to stop it. In fact, there are laws that if you're a school teacher or child care provider and you have evidence that there is abuse in a child's home, you must report it or face legal consequences or the loss of your job. I'm sure other people who deal with kids have a similar law, such as pediatricians. Such laws didn't exist back in those days and parents were the ultimate rulers. We've evolved as a society over the past several decades and some people think the pendulum may have swung too far towards kids getting away with too many things. But it's good parents are not allowed, by the legal system, to beat their kids at will or force them to work. The only hard part is that it's not always easy to get the laws enforced when there are some disturbed parents who try not to obey those laws.

[Paulos]

The story of Mike ordering Murry out of the car and punching him is in Brian's 'biography'.

[Mike's Beard]

Thanks Paulos. I guess there's only about 1% chance of it being true then.

[The Heartical Don]

Thanks Paulos. I guess there's only about 1% chance of it being true then.

 

Hehe. I can see where you're coming from. But: since Todd Gold (the ghostwriter) only conducted a couple of interviews with Brian for that book, and since Brian seems to have been in his typical 'yes' and 'no' mode at those occasions, IMHO the level of truth entirely depends on whom Gold consulted for that anecdote.