When was Brian at his lowest ebb??, !976?, 1982?, 1991?. And why discuss...

[letsmakeit31]

Bit of an general question I know, But I'm interested in what people's views are on this.
My view is that it was in 1982, Because he was (According to Landy and pretty much all who loved Brian) It was only a matter of time (Weeks or a few months) before Brian would OD & die. But as we all know it led to the 3rd rescuse of Brian in 1991, because of the "Treatment" of Landy.
I just think without knowing all the facts of course that Brian was more or less at the point of no return in 1982??.
I'm only asking this question because I personally & my family had the worse year in 2011, But thankfully we all pulled through it and have got stronger as a result.
I hope this question doesn't offend anyone , But I am amazed at the twists and turns of Brian's life, and I thank God I didn't have to suffer as much heartache and emotional pain as Brian did.

[cablegeddon]

Ironically, when I first became a fan and watched interviews without knowing the facts he seemed to be at his lowest in the late 90s. He seemed healthier and more coherent in the 80s. 

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I would say physically in the early 80s. Mentally in the 90s. And metaphysically in the 1600s.

[absinthe_boy]

There was a time circa 1982 when we were basically waiting for Brian to die. It was almost like being on a deathwatch. That was my experience as a young fan, and I've read similar from those who were close to him at the time.

The fact that he is still around 30 years later is something that we would have considered very unlikely back then. The fact that he's in relatively good shape and performing is little short of miraculous.

[Amy B.]

This is so sad, because of course 1982 would have been when Dennis was in his last years and visibly on the decline. The whole situation must have been so heartbreaking for the family and the band.

[letsmakeit31]

Ironically, when I first became a fan and watched interviews without knowing the facts he seemed to be at his lowest in the late 90s. He seemed healthier and more coherent in the 80s. 

To be honest this is my view too. Sorry I know it's bad of me to say this but maybe in the late 90's doctors was still trying to get the right balance in the meds that Brian was taking, and possibly do all their can to undo the very real damage Landy did late 80's early 90's.??

[Lonely Summer]

This is so sad, because of course 1982 would have been when Dennis was in his last years and visibly on the decline. The whole situation must have been so heartbreaking for the family and the band.

And I just have to wonder how much of a toll this took on Audree and Carl. The fact that the situation with Landy just dragged on and on and on...

[adamghost]

I've been told that the conservatorship battle weighed on Carl very, very heavily.

[Pretty Funky]

There was a time circa 1982 when we were basically waiting for Brian to die.

When I picked up a paper and the headline was 'Beach Boy Drowns' I thought it was going to be Brian. Sad, but thats the way it was. Dennis seemed to have 109 lives.

[Dave in KC]

Not me. When I saw Dennis after a show in August, I realized the end was near. And Carl looked at me as much to say the same. I'm sure my face looked as sick about the situation as Carl's.

[MBE]

Brian was fully with it in 1999 when we did an interview. I would say 1991 because he's like a robot. 1982 he may have been close to death but mentally I never saw Brian in the early 80's act like he did in the very scary 1991 interviews.

[jwoverho]

Brian seemed together mentally in the mid 70's (at least based on the interview footage I've seen from AMERICAN BAND, Mike Douglas Show, etc.).  The early 80's seemed to be his lowest ebb physically. I've seen some heartbreaking interviews from the early 90's where Brian seems totally out of it.

Can someone  help me understand Landy's prescriptive authority? Wasn't he a clinical psychologist, not  a psychiatrist? Do psychologists in California have prescriptive powers? Was it even legal for him to give medications to Brian? I've never found an answer.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Can someone  help me understand Landy's prescriptive authority? Wasn't he a clinical psychologist, not  a psychiatrist? Do psychologists in California have prescriptive powers? Was it even legal for him to give medications to Brian? I've never found an answer.

It was indeed illegal, and that's what got him away from Brian eventually.

[Jay]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

[MBE]

I hear what you are saying Jay but watch those 1991 book era interviews. Brian isn't nearly as robotic or out of it now. I'm not saying he hasn't got damage or that a certain amount of his personality is gone, but there's some sort of normalicy even if he isn't' totally responding to his surroundings when in public i.e. the Kennedy Center awards.

[Runaways]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

so you'd rather have him be super depressed, on drugs and near death than the at peace, creative, and more musical person he is today  .  and you started out your statement saying mentally/neurologically, then ended with musically. hum.  I would also say that neurologically, he was worse at the end of the Landy years.  by far.

[Wirestone]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically.

What this really translates to is that growing old can suck. And yes, it can. If given a choice, most people would probably choose being 40 rather than being 70. But you make do with what you can.

[18thofMay]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

Could not be bothered chewing you out..
Here is one I prepared earlier....

CHEWED OUT!! NO IDEA..

[Jay]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

so you'd rather have him be super depressed, on drugs and near death than the at peace, creative, and more musical person he is today  .  and you started out your statement saying mentally/neurologically, then ended with musically. hum.  I would also say that neurologically, he was worse at the end of the Landy years.  by far.

"but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view". Listen to the "cocaine sessions". Would you rather have him doing songs like Oh Lord on a solo album, or disney stuff aimed for kids? I think the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's was much more creative and adventurous than he is today. What I meant by "lucid" is that the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's is that he was much less "robotic", for lack of a better term. Check out the PM Magazine interview from 1978. Even at an obvious low point, he would give much more than a simple yes or no answer, if pushed hard enough.

[Wirestone]

Listen to the "cocaine sessions". Would you rather have him doing songs like Oh Lord on a solo album, or disney stuff aimed for kids?

Erm ... most of the Cocaine sessions, regardless of legendary status, are really terrible. "I Feel Fine" ... really? There aren't any real songs there ... just the sound of a lengthy drug binge and some incoherent piano noodling.

So yes, I guess I would rather have the Disney album than the sound of a man destroying himself and making crap music in the process.

[Runaways]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

so you'd rather have him be super depressed, on drugs and near death than the at peace, creative, and more musical person he is today  .  and you started out your statement saying mentally/neurologically, then ended with musically. hum.  I would also say that neurologically, he was worse at the end of the Landy years.  by far.

"but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view". Listen to the "cocaine sessions". Would you rather have him doing songs like Oh Lord on a solo album, or disney stuff aimed for kids? I think the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's was much more creative and adventurous than he is today. What I meant by "lucid" is that the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's is that he was much less "robotic", for lack of a better term. Check out the PM Magazine interview from 1978. Even at an obvious low point, he would give much more than a simple yes or no answer, if pushed hard enough.

ah yes, the best way to make an argument is to cherry pick the obviously good song from a sea of crap and the obviously sub-par album from a bunch of solid ones.  but since we're on that point.  Do i want the unfinished cocaine wailing song, or a finished album?  I think i'd rather have an album.  we're talking how musical he is, so you'd rather have the era where he didn't release anything opposed to the one where's he's released a number of albums.  And yeah, Oh Lord may seem more adventurous, but cocaine can do that.  I don't think anything on MIU or LA are adventurous either..(or as good as stuff he's written lately).  I don't disagree that his brain wasn't as damaged then, but i think he's in a better state of mind now.  

i wonder if he's even still aware of "oh lord". 

[Jay]

Ok, let's try out Stevie as an example too. This is a song that Brian wrote and sang, and Dennis produced, and was recorded somewhere between 1981 and 1982. To me this song has kind of a "wall of sound" sounding production, something that was lacking in most of the music The Beach Boys had done in the previous decade(with the obvious exception of Holland). The lyrics are pretty good too. Much better than something like Rainbow Eyes, or A Friend Like You.

[MBE]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

so you'd rather have him be super depressed, on drugs and near death than the at peace, creative, and more musical person he is today  .  and you started out your statement saying mentally/neurologically, then ended with musically. hum.  I would also say that neurologically, he was worse at the end of the Landy years.  by far.

"but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view". Listen to the "cocaine sessions". Would you rather have him doing songs like Oh Lord on a solo album, or disney stuff aimed for kids? I think the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's was much more creative and adventurous than he is today. What I meant by "lucid" is that the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's is that he was much less "robotic", for lack of a better term. Check out the PM Magazine interview from 1978. Even at an obvious low point, he would give much more than a simple yes or no answer, if pushed hard enough.

I agree Brian could probably communicate better or get more passion in his voice or songs in 1982, but he was killing himself. I still think the second Landy era has a much less inspired or together Brian than now. I dislike the Disney thing too, but I would rather have Brian they way he is than dead creativety be damned. Besides TLOS was more than worthy of his legacy if not comparable to his 1961-73 creative prime.

[MBE]

Ok, let's try out Stevie as an example too. This is a song that Brian wrote and sang, and Dennis produced, and was recorded somewhere between 1981 and 1982. To me this song has kind of a "wall of sound" sounding production, something that was lacking in most of the music The Beach Boys had done in the previous decade(with the obvious exception of Holland). The lyrics are pretty good too. Much better than something like Rainbow Eyes, or A Friend Like You.

It is better than the lesser post Holland stuff but so is Midnight's Another Day.

[Lonely Summer]

I know I'm probably going to get chewed out for this, but I think Brian is at his worst right now, at least mentally/neurologically. He may have been at his worst physically and spiritually in 1982, but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view.

so you'd rather have him be super depressed, on drugs and near death than the at peace, creative, and more musical person he is today  .  and you started out your statement saying mentally/neurologically, then ended with musically. hum.  I would also say that neurologically, he was worse at the end of the Landy years.  by far.

"but I would take a 1982 Brian over a 2012 Brian any day, at least from a musical and overall  lucid point of view". Listen to the "cocaine sessions". Would you rather have him doing songs like Oh Lord on a solo album, or disney stuff aimed for kids? I think the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's was much more creative and adventurous than he is today. What I meant by "lucid" is that the Brian of the late 1970's and early 1980's is that he was much less "robotic", for lack of a better term. Check out the PM Magazine interview from 1978. Even at an obvious low point, he would give much more than a simple yes or no answer, if pushed hard enough.

I agree Brian could probably communicate better or get more passion in his voice or songs in 1982, but he was killing himself. I still think the second Landy era has a much less inspired or together Brian than now. I dislike the Disney thing too, but I would rather have Brian they way he is than dead creativety be damned. Besides TLOS was more than worthy of his legacy if not comparable to his 1961-73 creative prime.

I didn't care for the Gershwin and Disney albums at all, but TLOS IMHO is a near masterpiece. Most inspired songwriting from Brian in decades, singing well, and backed by a terrific band. I think it's okay for him to cool down after that with other projects...but wouldn't hazard a guess as to whether he's got a few more gems up his sleeve or not. He's given us more than enough in his long life. If the Boys go out on top with a strong, artistic album, that would be the icing on the cake.