And now, for something inspiring

[Debbie KL]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lauren-kearney/i-am-brian-wilson-a-memoi_b_11772990.html

Thanks, Swervy

We need it in the midst of some clueless clown's death threats here.  Back to the light.

[NOLA BB Fan]

Wow, thanks !
That's the type of memoir I want to read.

[SMiLE Brian]

Finally!

[filledeplage]

FYI - Just clicked the link and it was removed. 

[KDS]

FYI - Just clicked the link and it was removed. 

Uh oh.  Somebody at Kokomo surely removed it. 

 

[Debbie KL]

I have no idea what happened, but the link has been removed.  At least some got to read it, several in tears as I was told (including me), it was so inspiring.  The good news is that we have the book coming soon, so we can be inspired all over again.

[jeffh]

So what did it say ?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Yeah...I wish I would've caught it in time!

[Debbie KL]

So what did it say ?

I wish I had copied it to paste, but I didn't.  So sorry.  I'll watch to see if it reappears.

[JK]

Is this ethical? Mods, please remove if it is not. I found the cache:


‘’Music is the solution,’’ writes Brian Wilson in his new memoir.

How can a man who is deaf in one ear and plagued by voices in his head create some of the most groundbreaking songs in history? I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir written by Brian Wilson with Ben Greenman shows you how. In his honest yet hesitant voice, Brian Wilson takes you on a journey into the life of a creative genius, exploring his turbulent life and creative influences and how, regardless of his inner and outer demons, there is always hope.

Best known as co-founding member of The Beach Boys, Wilson’s life story is no beach. Some may call this a memoir of a musical genius but in many ways it’s simply a memoir of a man, who, just like the rest of us, is trying to find his way through life and make sense of all his struggles. Everybody, when faced with hardships, has some kind of coping mechanism to lean on when times get tough. Wilson has tried the lot: drugs, alcohol, and social isolation. But in the end, his escape always comes back to his first true love: music. Music is, after all, the solution.

I am Brian Wilson: A Memoir isn’t the kind of book you can read in a day. Like a summer vacation, you want it to last forever. You don’t want to jump in the ocean and go straight home. You want to take your time and absorb every thought, every doubt, every feeling that crosses the mind of one of the world’s most influential composers. And that’s exactly what you get from this book.

When Brian Wilson was in his senior year of high school, he penned a paper called ‘’My Philosophy’’ where he talks about how he saw the world. From the way he constantly questions and reflects on things throughout this book, it’s clear that Wilson is just as curious today as he was as a teen - a clear sign of a true artist. Maybe we never get to find the answers to our questions but we can learn to make sense of them for ourselves, in our own way. Sometimes, as the saying goes, you have to go back to move forward. It’s not always easy to talk or even think about the tough parts of your life. But for our own sake, we need to understand them....somehow.

Even when it comes to his father, Murray Wilson, who also happened to be the first manager of The Beach Boys and the man who deafened Wilson with his fist, Brian Wilson doesn’t mull over his misfortunes. Instead, ‘’I have to try to understand him,’’ as he says. Just like he doesn’t let limits rule his music, he neither lets the wrath of his father dominate his life. That being said, he does talk a lot about his father. You get the impression that he’s still trying to make sense of that relationship even today.

Wilson prefers to reflect on memories of his two dead brothers and band mates, Carl and Dennis, and on his creative influences. If you want to know what inspired hits like ‘’God Only Knows’’ and ‘’Good Vibrations’’ to be made, this book will show you. You can literally watch a single thought or feeling transform into a song and, music lover or not, it’s mesmerizing. It’s like watching an artist at work, only, instead of merely watching, you feel like you’re in Wilson’s mind and part of his thoughts. It’s a great place to be if you want to know how musicians function.

Music, however, isn’t Wilson’s only love. From the way he refers to her in almost every paragraph of the book, you can tell that he adores Melinda Wilson, his wife of 21 years. She’s seen it all: the ups and the downs. ‘’Without her I might have still been the last surviving Wilson, but I wouldn’t have been completely alive,’’ says Wilson.

As a memoir, honest and insightful. But it’s very much a memoir of a musician. From reading this book, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the man behind some of the world’s greatest hits and for music in general. Music is Brian Wilson. Music is the solution.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Thank you john

[Jay]

Damn onions. *sniff*

[SMiLE Brian]

 

[Robbie Mac]

That is a nice palate clenser, indeed.

[Debbie KL]

Is this ethical? Mods, please remove if it is not. I found the cache:


‘’Music is the solution,’’ writes Brian Wilson in his new memoir.

How can a man who is deaf in one ear and plagued by voices in his head create some of the most groundbreaking songs in history? I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir written by Brian Wilson with Ben Greenman shows you how. In his honest yet hesitant voice, Brian Wilson takes you on a journey into the life of a creative genius, exploring his turbulent life and creative influences and how, regardless of his inner and outer demons, there is always hope.

Best known as co-founding member of The Beach Boys, Wilson’s life story is no beach. Some may call this a memoir of a musical genius but in many ways it’s simply a memoir of a man, who, just like the rest of us, is trying to find his way through life and make sense of all his struggles. Everybody, when faced with hardships, has some kind of coping mechanism to lean on when times get tough. Wilson has tried the lot: drugs, alcohol, and social isolation. But in the end, his escape always comes back to his first true love: music. Music is, after all, the solution.

I am Brian Wilson: A Memoir isn’t the kind of book you can read in a day. Like a summer vacation, you want it to last forever. You don’t want to jump in the ocean and go straight home. You want to take your time and absorb every thought, every doubt, every feeling that crosses the mind of one of the world’s most influential composers. And that’s exactly what you get from this book.

When Brian Wilson was in his senior year of high school, he penned a paper called ‘’My Philosophy’’ where he talks about how he saw the world. From the way he constantly questions and reflects on things throughout this book, it’s clear that Wilson is just as curious today as he was as a teen - a clear sign of a true artist. Maybe we never get to find the answers to our questions but we can learn to make sense of them for ourselves, in our own way. Sometimes, as the saying goes, you have to go back to move forward. It’s not always easy to talk or even think about the tough parts of your life. But for our own sake, we need to understand them....somehow.

Even when it comes to his father, Murray Wilson, who also happened to be the first manager of The Beach Boys and the man who deafened Wilson with his fist, Brian Wilson doesn’t mull over his misfortunes. Instead, ‘’I have to try to understand him,’’ as he says. Just like he doesn’t let limits rule his music, he neither lets the wrath of his father dominate his life. That being said, he does talk a lot about his father. You get the impression that he’s still trying to make sense of that relationship even today.

Wilson prefers to reflect on memories of his two dead brothers and band mates, Carl and Dennis, and on his creative influences. If you want to know what inspired hits like ‘’God Only Knows’’ and ‘’Good Vibrations’’ to be made, this book will show you. You can literally watch a single thought or feeling transform into a song and, music lover or not, it’s mesmerizing. It’s like watching an artist at work, only, instead of merely watching, you feel like you’re in Wilson’s mind and part of his thoughts. It’s a great place to be if you want to know how musicians function.

Music, however, isn’t Wilson’s only love. From the way he refers to her in almost every paragraph of the book, you can tell that he adores Melinda Wilson, his wife of 21 years. She’s seen it all: the ups and the downs. ‘’Without her I might have still been the last surviving Wilson, but I wouldn’t have been completely alive,’’ says Wilson.

As a memoir, honest and insightful. But it’s very much a memoir of a musician. From reading this book, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the man behind some of the world’s greatest hits and for music in general. Music is Brian Wilson. Music is the solution.

Thanks so much!  I sure hope this is ethical - but not being a mod I wouldn't know.

I felt terrible about letting everyone down when the link went down.  You saved the day.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

If the link goes back up then maybe it'll be revisited. Right now it's not only fine but appreciated

[Jim Murphy]

"Even when it comes to his father, Murray Wilson, who also happened to be the first manager of The Beach Boys and the man who deafened Wilson with his fist, Brian Wilson doesn’t mull over his misfortunes."

But in his book Brian writes, "When I was out playing in my neighborhood, between my house and another, a kid hit me in the head with a lead pipe.  His name was Seymour, I think, either his first or last.  The feeling was just shock at first, but the next day I realized I couldn't hear as well out of my right ear."   

 

[Debbie KL]

"Even when it comes to his father, Murray Wilson, who also happened to be the first manager of The Beach Boys and the man who deafened Wilson with his fist, Brian Wilson doesn’t mull over his misfortunes."

But in his book Brian writes, "When I was out playing in my neighborhood, between my house and another, a kid hit me in the head with a lead pipe.  His name was Seymour, I think, either his first or last.  The feeling was just shock at first, but the next day I realized I couldn't hear as well out of my right ear."   

 

Which book are you referencing? But beyond that, were you really more interested in this detail than the inspiring tone of the review and the book?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Supposedly that's from Brian's new book...I say 'supposedly' because I don't have it yet!

[Jay]

"The man who defended Brian with his fist" strikes me as a very odd line.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I think it was 'deafened Brian with his fist' and auto correct changed it

[Don Malcolm]

Great work, John, thanks a lot--a fine piece of writing with sensitivities similar to those found in words penned by Peter Reum...

A lot of tough, driven, difficult fathers in that WWII generation...I think many of us speak from experience about that. Lots of different ways to be tough on kids, differing types of violence that manifested as people tried to live the American dream. I have to say that Brad Pitt captured much of this personality type in his performance as the father in Terrence Maiick's THE TREE OF LIFE. There was also a lot of overcompensation in the men who were left behind once the war started, which continued to manifest itself during the post-war years that followed.

All told (and based more than a bit on reading Jim's fine book) Murry was probably in the eightieth percentile of abusive parents. But it's still an open question as to what caused Brian's hearing loss, AFAIK. His citation in the upcoming bio is one I don't recall reading before--and it's going to be hard to corroborate beyond his testimony, because it would have happened at a time when none of the surviving early bandmates--Mike, Al, Dave--would be privy to the details (unless they had asked Brian about it at a later date).

I guess I'd like to believe that Murry didn't do it, or that if he did, that it wasn't the cause of Brian's hearing loss...because that really is a terrible thing for a family (and for a father and son) to have to endure.

[Debbie KL]

Great work, John, thanks a lot--a fine piece of writing with sensitivities similar to those found in words penned by Peter Reum...

A lot of tough, driven, difficult fathers in that WWII generation...I think many of us speak from experience about that. Lots of different ways to be tough on kids, differing types of violence that manifested as people tried to live the American dream. I have to say that Brad Pitt captured much of this personality type in his performance as the father in Terrence Maiick's THE TREE OF LIFE. There was also a lot of overcompensation in the men who were left behind once the war started, which continued to manifest itself during the post-war years that followed.

All told (and based more than a bit on reading Jim's fine book) Murry was probably in the eightieth percentile of abusive parents. But it's still an open question as to what caused Brian's hearing loss, AFAIK. His citation in the upcoming bio is one I don't recall reading before--and it's going to be hard to corroborate beyond his testimony, because it would have happened at a time when none of the surviving early bandmates--Mike, Al, Dave--would be privy to the details (unless they had asked Brian about it at a later date).

I guess I'd like to believe that Murry didn't do it, or that if he did, that it wasn't the cause of Brian's hearing loss...because that really is a terrible thing for a family (and for a father and son) to have to endure.

Frankly, I did hear it from Brian and it was unclear.  He thought it was his dad hitting him, but he wasn't certain.  We'll probably never know.   And we can give Murry's aggressive behavior some credit for the BBs going before the general public, so I'm not a "hater" (boy am I getting tired of that word).  Now back to the inspiration. That came from Murry, Audree, and the incredible will of Brian Wilson himself.

I'm very excited about the book.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm excited for it too...Jaymie told me if I don't get her own copy she's going to jack mine

I need to pre-order me a copy soon. Next paycheck!

[SMiLE Brian]

Great to hear Billy!