Brian went to a mental institution for a time in 1968--any truth to the story?

[The Song Of The Grange]

Again, I read this in the book Catch A Wave,  Carlin uses Steve Desper as a source.  It sounds like Desper just infers from over heard conversations that BW went to an institution for awhile. I hadn't heard of this detail before.  Any other sources to shed light on this story?  Anybody know anything about it?

[Andrew G. Doe]

I've heard the same, from other, equally trustworthy sources.

[MBE]

I don't know if there was a specific inciident as to why he went. Around when Sea Of Tunes was sold was when Mike had to go in.

[Dove Nested Towers]

Wasn't the story that he was administered Thorazine at that time, and the writing of I Went to Sleep was possibly influenced by the forced tranquility that he experienced while under the influence of that drug?

[XY]

Don't know about mental doctoring, but according to an 1968 article in 'Eye Magazine', Brian had an operation on his almost dead ear around November 1967 after the 'Wild Honey' sessions. The modern medicine made it possible, a successful operation was performed. In 1968, Brian was still recovering and hoping to enjoy the Stereo-wonder soon.

[MBE]

Wasn't the story that he was administered Thorazine at that time, and the writing of I Went to Sleep was possibly influenced by the forced tranquility that he experienced while under the influence of that drug?

Where did you hear that one?

[Shane]

Don't know about mental doctoring, but according to an 1968 article in 'Eye Magazine', Brian had an operation on his almost dead ear around November 1967 after the 'Wild Honey' sessions. The modern medicine made it possible, a successful operation was performed. In 1968, Brian was still recovering and hoping to enjoy the Stereo-wonder soon.

I have never heard that one before!  I guess the effects of the operation didn't last, as he still is almost deaf in the one ear.

[Ian]

The ear operation is also mentioned by Carl in an interview for Beat Instrumental that he did in Dec 1967 while in England

[Bicyclerider]

Peter Reum has also reported Brian had a mental breakdown in 1968 and was hospitalized.

[The Song Of The Grange]

So this is looking to me like a legit event with some real sources.  I think I will treat it as such in my essay.  I can see this as something the Beach Boys wanted to keep under raps for public image reasons, which may explain the scant details available. 

Thanks to all for info.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Reportedly, it was of his own accord.

[MBE]

As Friends brings back good memories for Brian, and Al Jardine has called it a good period for Brian as well I still wonder what happened that year. As I mentioned the early 1968 interview I found with Brian has him in fine shape. Verty relaxed, friendly, and upbeat. I can only think of two things that may have set him off. One the Old Man River argument, or two having a child scared him. I do remember a Marilyn quote where she says after having Carnie is when she first noticed something wrong. She remembered him crying. Then again I heard stories (and seen home movies) where Brian is playing with her happily and I think we all heard the one about him crawling into her crib to nap with her.So I just cannot put my finger on what happened. As Catch A Wave makes note of he couldn't have been there too long as he was recording pretty freuqently.

[hypehat]

My guess was that it was towards the end of the year, judging on the events - Friends had bombed, which definitely stung, having a child is tres stressful, and he was barely present for assembling 20/20, which was happening then (but i don't know for sure. I'm going on the facts like they used cabinessence, prayer, time to get alone - stuff that was basically finished and Carl knew how to complete). Sea of Tunes must have hurt too. As did Ol' Man River, like MBE said. Such a dramatic swing, though - He was writing some of the calmest songs known to man at that time....

Reportedly, it was of his own accord.

That makes it stranger....

[grillo]

Please remind me of these old man river arguments...they sound interesting, but I don't remember ever hearing of 'em.

[MBE]

It was simply that Brian kept wanting to record it over and over and Mike eventually got fed up with it.

As far as them using old stuff, Brian did miss some 20/20 sessions (perhaps while he was ill) but I think had a hand in finishing his songs on side 2. Maybe not a major hand but he approved what was going out and particpated to some extent, singing what have you.

Actually the SOT sale happened in late 1969 and seemed to trigger off a bigger breakdown in Mike. Granted Brian stayed in his room for a few days but he was actively recording and writing during that period.

[Andrew G. Doe]

My guess was that it was towards the end of the year, judging on the events...

I was told it was summer. Going on the available session info, July or August - from June 28 to September 3, there's only the "CWTL" sessions of late July.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

And the thing that we have to remember is, Brian was never, at any point 'fine' during this period. Remember, during SMiLE he thought his music started fires and there were mind gangsters messing with him-not to mention he thought Jules' chick was a witch with ESP who was screwing around with his mind. Those things alone warrant some serious psychiatiric analysis.

[MBE]

Knowing he has mental issues, good shape for Brian Wilson was relative even in 1963.
If he was going through a bad period (end of Smile) I'm sure he came off very odd. If he was having a good period (Friends, a decent part of 1970) I bet he seemed fairly normal at least by rock star standards. I look at Brian in say 1978 and say he was very sick, but in 1968 there was an element of togetherness or a normalicy in how he was able to interact with others. Looking at the big picture I think we lost the original Brian for good slowly between 1973 and 1983.

In 1968 obviously he had an incident that made him feel like he couldn't deal with life.  What is hard to figure out is what exactly happened. Perhaps his 1968 stay helped him for a time because between the fall of 1968 and the fall of 1970 he was pretty darn active. We have Honeys sessions, finishing work on 20/20. "Break Away", the prolonged "Sunflower" sessions during which he produced well over a full album of work,  Fred Vail album, Kalinich poetry album, 1970 tour to cover for Mike, 1970 jam with Flame at an L.A. club, early work on the Surf's Up sessions, and finally the Whisky gig. This wasn't like later where he was forced on stage either, photos show him to be getting into the music and having fun.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Sources in my head tell me that Brian was in the same cell as Syd Barret. The result was Olivia Tremor Control.

[Bicyclerider]

Please remind me of these old man river arguments...they sound interesting, but I don't remember ever hearing of 'em.

I heard that Carl got fed up of recording the song over and over again.

As Friends was failing in the marketplace the Beach Boys lost loads of money over a cancelled tour with the Maharishi, and Brian was quoted as saying the Beach Boys were broke, which Carl took exception to . . . the financial pressures and intergroup squabbling may have prompted the breakdown.

[SG7]

Two words: voyage 34.


Great album by porcupine tree 

[donald]

Amphetamine and predisposition to schizophrenia.  A winning combination.  That is if you want to win a trip to the psychiatric hospital.

Mental Institution is so 19th century!    We now say psychiatric hospital.  Or rehabilitation program.

[Dove Nested Towers]

Wasn't the story that he was administered Thorazine at that time, and the writing of I Went to Sleep was possibly influenced by the forced tranquility that he experienced while under the influence of that drug?

Where did you hear that one?

I don't remember exactly where I heard the detail about the Thorazine, but do remember that
it was form some seemingly authoritative print source. The part about the influence on the song is very hazy, almost to the point that I think senility has finally set in, I may have never actually heard that anywhere and shouldn't have posted it. I hate it when that happens!

[bossaroo]

someone is quoted as saying that Brian was never the same after they gave him thorazine.

i wonder if there was any electroshock as well, which was still fairly common at the time i believe?

[Jason]

Amphetamine and predisposition to schizophrenia.  A winning combination.  That is if you want to win a trip to the psychiatric hospital.

Mental Institution is so 19th century!    We now say psychiatric hospital.  Or rehabilitation program.

Or we just call it the loony bin.