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It is incredible how deep that letter is, i've never read it before and he really goes into it all.. i really wonder how Brian felt after reading this or what was his reaction.

I gathered that this letter was unsent.

How did the letter become public?

We discussed the letter on here a few years back:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,8066.0.html (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,8066.0.html)

A pretty fascinating look into the mind of a very twisted individual.  I can't even begin to imagine growing up with a man like that as a father.

No matter how many hit songs you write or how many hundreds of thousands of dollars you may earn, you will find when you finish this short cycle of Beach Boy success that you didn't do it honestly and for this reason you are going to suffer remorse.

Would any of you dime-store psychologists want to be father to those three boys?

You'd wither.

Doh!! Did anybody else squint and struggle to read the scan of the original letter only to then find that the text had been reproduced in large font further down the page?

Speaking of the Lost Beach Boy....

There is an insightful quote from David in there about the resentment Murry felt when Audree's attention shifted to Brian, which seems to be one of the major points in this letter.  So, I said to David, "you were right about Murry...listen to this!"  David's response was to say that he wasn't Freud at 15...he knew about Murry's resentment toward Brian because Murry TOLD him.  He said the letter didn't have anything in it that he hadn't heard Murry rant about a hundred times before...so Brian (and everyone else who would listen) had heard it all long before the letter was written!

It was actually pretty interesting to read for me because of the amount of time I spend on trying to undo the damage that Murry has done to David, so to read about his "honesty" is so absurd, its laughable.  On the other hand, he does makes SOME valid points.   David has been one of the few who has defended Murry, and given him credit for the initial success of the Beach Boys...maybe because he was brain-washed by all the rants outlined in this letter, or maybe because its true.  Either way, after reading this letter, I can't help but feel a little bit sorry for him. And yes, that is coming from someone whose husband was stolen from by Murry! 

Would any of you dime-store psychologists want to be father to those three boys?

You'd wither.

Care to elaborate further or are you just stoking the fire as usual?

well put.

I believe it's long been determined that Murry did the screwing. So he would be a good one to talk about dishonesty.

As far as I know it has only been alleged but with no monetary motive. Brian however had monetary motive and opportunity and an alleged history of dishonesty in business dealings.

As far as I know it has only been alleged but with no monetary motive. Brian however had monetary motive and opportunity and an alleged history of dishonesty in business dealings.

Murry was a half owner in Sea of Tunes and later wrestled all the publishing from Brian. He always wanted to keep it in the family. He had a monetary motive.

Furthermore, it was clearly Murry who had a personal grudge against Mike at this time, not Brian. And when you speak of Brian's "alleged history of dishonesty in business dealings" are you referencing the the dishonesty that Murry himself speaks of (in which "dishonesty" is purely code for his own feelings of being screwed by Brian)? Or is there an actual legitimate source that has suggested this?

Yes, folks, the pendulum has definitely swung too far and this is the kind of absurdity that comes as a consequence.

The point I was making was simply this: Unless you could have done a better job, in those days, with that family, under those circumstances, then you probably shouldn't be knocking anyone.

Call me crazy but once you're talking about the actions of a violent, unstable serial abuser, I think the rest of the world pretty much gets carte blanche to knock that guy as much as they want, no matter how much "those were different times" handwaving or equivocation anyone wants to throw at it.

Call me crazy but once you're talking about the actions of a violent, unstable serial abuser, I think the rest of the world pretty much gets carte blanche to knock that guy as much as they want, no matter how much "those were different times" handwaving or equivocation anyone wants to throw at it.

Furthermore, it was clearly Murry who had a personal grudge against Mike at this time, not Brian. And when you speak of Brian's "alleged history of dishonesty in business dealings" are you referencing the the dishonesty that Murry himself speaks of (in which "dishonesty" is purely code for his own feelings of being screwed by Brian)? Or is there an actual legitimate source that has suggested this?

Yes, folks, the pendulum has definitely swung too far and this is the kind of absurdity that comes as a consequence.

Yes, Murry seems to have a grudge. Murry had no monetary motive to leave people off of the songwriting publishing, it wouldn't enrich him because he was one of the publishers and not one of the songwriters. Whether there was one songwriter or a million songwriters it didn't change his publisher take it only diluted or increased the songwriter's take. Isn't that right? Brian was the Producer and a songwriter and allegedly [at the time] a publisher who alone would be enriched by leaving people off of the songwriting publishing and still also get his share for being the publisher but somehow we think it was Murry's fault names were left off the publishing.

Well I said alleged but actual it was admitted by Brian and pr oven in court.  Who knows what really happened except that Mike got screwed and Brian doesn't always have to be the victim he could be the victimizer. The pendulum swung too far a long time ago but is finally coming back toward center lately.

Brian admitted in court that he purposefully left Mike's name off certain songs?  I've never read a transcript of the trial and don't remember anything else I've read.  Murry didn't seem to like Mike and I recall reading in some book that he fired Mike but the band ignored it.  Brian did give Mike credit for some major songs so it's not certain why he'd credit him for some but not others. 

Shame on Brian for trying to cheat his cousin Mike.

I am proud that my son, Dennis, reminded you all in front of Mike that I predicted he was trouble and would be disgracing all of us if he continued to go his way.