Alcohol Intake by the Beach Boys (Sister Thread to Cigarette Inquiry)

[The Heartical Don]

This thread reminds me of a question I intended to ask, but forgot until now. Is Brian an "alchoholic"? I remember reading about Brian doing 40 shots of something(whiskey?) while the group was in Vegas around 1981. The reason I ask is I clearly remember in Rolling Stone during the BWPS promotion, Brian was interviewed, and the person who interviewed him noted that Brian was eating a big steak, and a glass of beer. I thought that was a little suspicious for somebody with a well known and documented substance abuse problem.

The famous Dutch singer Ramses Shaffy died last December. He'd always been such a heavy drinker that he ended up in a rest home with Korsakoff syndrome. But even when he was there, the staff allowed him to keep drinking wine. They'd just make sure that he'd drink it glass by glass and not bottle by bottle like he used to. So as long as you've got people to look after you, I guess its possible for (certain) recovered alcoholics to just have a drink every now and then.

Right. I was thinking about author Gerard Reve. In his best (worst?) times he guzzled strong booze, he had a real psychotic delirium tremens in 1966. Later in life he remained an enthousiastic wine drinker. His last years were also marked by Korsakoff(-like) symptoms.

As for Brian... I find it hard to assess his memory capacities. Does he use a teleprompter because he's not good at remembering lyrics? Or because he's shy and needs a fixed point to stare at much of the time? Since he's always been a keen eater, I'd say he never really lacked proper intake of Vitamine B; if one does not get this vitamin one develops Korsakoff (the core cause, more than the damaging effect of alcohol itself on nerve cells).

[Amy B.]

Right. I was thinking about author Gerard Reve. In his best (worst?) times he guzzled strong booze, he had a real psychotic delirium tremens in 1966. Later in life he remained an enthousiastic wine drinker. His last years were also marked by Korsakoff(-like) symptoms.

As for Brian... I find it hard to assess his memory capacities. Does he use a teleprompter because he's not good at remembering lyrics? Or because he's shy and needs a fixed point to stare at much of the time? Since he's always been a keen eater, I'd say he never really lacked proper intake of Vitamine B; if one does not get this vitamin one develops Korsakoff (the core cause, more than the damaging effect of alcohol itself on nerve cells).

I would think the teleprompter is due to BOTH memory problems and on-stage nerves. A lot of singers use them, but usually they're not as obvious.  I was thinking about this alcohol issue when I was watching the Golden Globes. There are all the TV and movie people with their food they don't eat and bottles and bottles of wine. And there is Drew Barrymore, and there is Robert Downey Jr. I'm not sure either of these two were alcoholics, but Downey was chewing gum the whole night, and I was wondering if he was trying to keep himself together.

[Rocky]

I heard somewhere that Mike was drinking heavily around the time of his infamous HOF speech.

gee what makes you think that 

[tpesky]

Well that might explain the HOF speech for sure, I would bet he was drinking heavily that night! Mike's performances in the 80's were not some of his best at all, so maybe there is something to that. In fact, I think he is better now than at anytime since '83.

[Rocky]

I think he is better now than at anytime since '83.

i'll go along with that.

[rogerlancelot]

I have a confession to make. In late 2004 - early 2005 I was drinking way too much (mostly wine from a box) and I would crank up "Love You" and "POB" over and over and over. Drove everybody around me totally nuts.

[Pretty Funky]

I have a confession to make. In late 2004 - early 2005 I was drinking way too much (mostly wine from a box) and I would crank up "Love You" and "POB" over and over and over.

Just getting in the right mood and being at one with the artists  IMO.  

[The Heartical Don]

I have a confession to make. In late 2004 - early 2005 I was drinking way too much (mostly wine from a box) and I would crank up "Love You" and "POB" over and over and over. Drove everybody around me totally nuts.

I had something similar with BW '88. Now I realize that Love You is by far the better option.