Brian postponing tour the day before it starts.

[ForHerCryingSoul]

Here is a piece I wrote about this subject, because BW is near and dear to my heart. I published it as a note to Facebook to my friends and such, because it's something I view as really important. Hopefully it reads okay...

Brian Wilson's Admission on Mental Health Was a Good Thing

As you all know, I'm a pretty big fan of the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson in general. As an active observer of the band's activities, it is very easy to indulge into deeper speculation and curiosities, be it in search for deeper connection and relatability, or for pure entertainment. Thus, this is considered a hot take on the subject matter at hand, and is not intended to be a gateway into deeper issues on the systemic nature of art and the relationships between the consumer and the artist.

This morning I woke up to the following message on Brian Wilson's website:

"Letter as presented on his website"

It is not an industry secret that Brian Wilson has been struggling with mental illness throughout his career. Numerous examples of depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder are on the public record, and there are many stories that document his troubles contained in books, as well as various stages of social media. In 2014, a movie based on Wilson's struggles with his psychologist, Dr. Eugene Landy was shown to theaters around the world, showing a brief glimpse of the abuse and torment that has plagued the artist for many years.

It is all the more surprising that here he is in 2019, commenting on his situation at all, and the fact that he is admitting mental insecurity is unheard of.

In the 1960's and 1970's, it was not an uncommon sight to sweep mental illness under the rug. Cases like Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd infamy springs to the public's minds that being mentally ill was an open gateway to supercharged creativity and In Brian Wilson's case, this narrative was pushed generously in advertisements for his next big project. When Brian Wilson stopped touring after a nervous breakdown in 1964, an unhealthy culmination of nonstop touring, producing, and composing, the press were quick to bury any mention of personal mental turmoil. In July 1967, as the anticipation for Brian's biggest project yet, Smile, was slowly fraying behind the scenes internally, press agents for the newly formed Brother Records label, falsely attributed Brian's eccentricities and outlandish behavior as the key to his genius. This classification would haunt Brian's mindset for the entirety of his career. Throughout the 1970's it was documented that the pressure led to career withdrawal and a spiral to substance abuse. As album sales began to dry up, Brian Wilson was eventually coerced back into the organization to produce records in 1976, with a fancy slogan to back it up: "Brian's Back." With the lead off singles, Rock and Roll Music, and It's OK to lead the charge into a new label relationship with Warner Bros. Records, it seemed Wilson was fully back into the fold.

Looking deeper into the situation however, leads fans to uncover an emotionally unstable creative circus bear, hopelessly being wheeled around by his band, forcefully controlled by the corporation demanding hits which stifled his own creativity, and being psychologically ordered around by his doctor, Eugene Landy, creating a toxic relationship that would last into the early 1990's. These unfortunate stops and starts were never documented in any way, save a few articles in gossip papers. Any interview was either well-scripted or extremely off-putting, showing viewers a truly lost soul in a sea of scrambled torment. In fact, knowledge of Landy's control over Brian Wilson's activities were not uncovered until a tell-all expose by Diane Sawyer revealed that Brian's personal will was illegally changed through his psychologist. To say that Brian Wilson's life was under control was a woefully misguided attempt to keep the band's image afloat in music circles. They desperately wanted to keep Brian's image as a genius intact, and to mitigate any oddities as mere faults of eccentricity, rather than reality. The truth was never going to come out, and it was only uncovered through an FBI investigation into the doctor's treatment of a different patient, that led to the discovery in the first place. After an eventual estrangement of the doctor and his patient in 1992, Wilson's recovery would truly begin, although not without periods of instability and sadness.

Wilson's resurgence in the 2000's was also not without troubles. During the sessions of the comeback album Imagination, Wilson began to admit that he flipped out, and that sometimes he was not enjoying himself. Later interviews would indicate that he was being pressured into these sessions due to contractual obligations, rather than personal satisfaction. While these interviews are hard to corroborate, fuel was added to the flame that things were still not okay in the Wilson camp, with no clear answer as to what was going on.

Going to a Brian Wilson show today can lead to two different outcomes. The first is going to an animated show, with a technically sound backing band backing up one of the most unique musicians of the 1960's. The latter outcome, and the most common these days unfortunately, is being faced with a disheveled Wilson, wheeled out in a wheelchair, backed by a nervous group of musicians, squeaking through his most critically acclaimed album, then quickly leaving each show, puzzling critics and fans alike. Does he really want to tour? Is he simply too old to tour? Is Brian Wilson happy? As a fan, the truth is completely open to debate as indicated through critics and Beach Boys circles, and with a new documentary promising to take a more intimate picture of Brian Wilson and his health, it is impossible to know for sure. However, to see this supposedly broken man up and admit to his fans that something is amiss, is a sight to behold.

With this admission, I think it is important to recognize that the stigma behind mental illness is abhorrible, and needs to change. In the music industry, a search for emotional perfectionism and unending positivity to satisfy employment parties, labels, fans, &c. can cause invisible inner turmoil, and without emotional checks and balances can lead to further problems down the road. Mental illness as a correlation for higher creativity output is dangerous to the end user. It is important to recognize that one's personal happiness and self-care should always be a priority in order to live a happy, fulfilling life. Your condition should not be stigmatized as cowardly or dismissed as eccentric. Mental illness is real and can be devastating, and should always be taken seriously. You have a right to health and happiness, and that should never be compromised through coercion or external manipulation.

Without commenting or speculating as to what is going on, I sincerely hope that Brian Wilson will get a chance to truly rest, put things into perspective, and get back to what he truly wants to do in a manner of his choosing.

[Tony S]

I love Brian both the man and his music. If he decides to never tour or record again that would be fine with me he's givien everyone a lifetime of memories and joy. The main thing is to make sure he's healthy and can enjoy his life to the fullest. Good Luck Brian stay strong

[HeyJude]

The June 11th show now has a rescheduled date of October 2nd according to an article posted in the 2019 tour thread:

https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/events/summer-guide/2019/06/06/brian-wilson-beach-boys-pet-sounds-tour/3172883002/

I don’t think it’s out of line to point out that we’re all probably all wondering if the August/September (and now October) shows will be able to go on. I remain cautious about assuming anything, so I’m not going to say a rescheduled date means this is truly going to be only a short-term problem. But I guess rescheduling is a slightly better sign than not? I dunno, it may just be the venue deciding that it can’t hurt too much to give the show another nearly four months to sell more tickets (though it was also pointed out in the 2019 tour thread that while many June shows were not selling particularly well, this particular June 11th show actually *was* already selling very well).

Anyway, just a bit of info to chew on. I guess we’ll see if they attempt to rescheduled any other June dates.

[Generation42]

Absolutely wishing all the best to Brian and family.

Lovely sentiment from Mike, as well.

[HeyJude]

Looks like Al gave an interview to promote the tour that was published the day before the announcement. From the sound of it, the interview took place prior to any rehearsals, so the interview may be a bit older.

https://www.unionleader.com/nh/arts_and_ent/music/beach-boys-al-jardine-on-seminal-pet-sounds-album-and/article_f65cfcc1-97b9-5635-aede-c686dcae3b51.html

In classic Al fashion, he can't remember the title to "I Know There's an Answer" during the interview....

[Needleinthehay]

Looks like Al gave an interview to promote the tour that was published the day before the announcement. From the sound of it, the interview took place prior to any rehearsals, so the interview may be a bit older.

https://www.unionleader.com/nh/arts_and_ent/music/beach-boys-al-jardine-on-seminal-pet-sounds-album-and/article_f65cfcc1-97b9-5635-aede-c686dcae3b51.html

In classic Al fashion, he can't remember the title to "I Know There's an Answer" during the interview....

Sorry if this is a stupid, basic question that everyone knows, but Al said Sloop was recorded 2 years BEFORE pet sounds and then the record company put it on when they didnt hear a hit..is that true?  I always assumed it was recorded during the pet sound sessions?

[Needleinthehay]

I know HeyJude said earlier one show was rescheduled, but a couple now just say "Cancelled"
Baltimore
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/brian-wilson-presents-pet-sounds-the-final-performances/event/15005631A7F02C7E
Atlantic City
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/brian-wilson-greatest-hits-live/event/02005661CEA29192

Wouldnt be suprised if all of them end up cancelled...

If they had planned on postponing them it would say "Postponed...date TBA" or something. These saying "cancelled" means theyre already refunding tickets and they are 100% not being rescheduled. If they do then it means you wont be able to keep the same tickets, etc. My guess is all of them will be cancelled, or almost all

[roffels]

Riveredge Park in Aurora, IL had a disclaimer when purchasing tickets that if the event was canceled, no refunds would be given, only credit to other performances at their park. Thankfully they've gone ahead and offered refunds. I had tickets to both Aurora and Nashville, and I have to give props to their teams in quickly offering refunds, and the customer service rep with Riveredge was really patient and kind, and said that everyone there is just hoping Brian gets what he needs.

[Lonely Summer]

Here is a piece I wrote about this subject, because BW is near and dear to my heart. I published it as a note to Facebook to my friends and such, because it's something I view as really important. Hopefully it reads okay...

Brian Wilson's Admission on Mental Health Was a Good Thing

As you all know, I'm a pretty big fan of the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson in general. As an active observer of the band's activities, it is very easy to indulge into deeper speculation and curiosities, be it in search for deeper connection and relatability, or for pure entertainment. Thus, this is considered a hot take on the subject matter at hand, and is not intended to be a gateway into deeper issues on the systemic nature of art and the relationships between the consumer and the artist.

This morning I woke up to the following message on Brian Wilson's website:

"Letter as presented on his website"

It is not an industry secret that Brian Wilson has been struggling with mental illness throughout his career. Numerous examples of depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder are on the public record, and there are many stories that document his troubles contained in books, as well as various stages of social media. In 2014, a movie based on Wilson's struggles with his psychologist, Dr. Eugene Landy was shown to theaters around the world, showing a brief glimpse of the abuse and torment that has plagued the artist for many years.

It is all the more surprising that here he is in 2019, commenting on his situation at all, and the fact that he is admitting mental insecurity is unheard of.

In the 1960's and 1970's, it was not an uncommon sight to sweep mental illness under the rug. Cases like Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd infamy springs to the public's minds that being mentally ill was an open gateway to supercharged creativity and In Brian Wilson's case, this narrative was pushed generously in advertisements for his next big project. When Brian Wilson stopped touring after a nervous breakdown in 1964, an unhealthy culmination of nonstop touring, producing, and composing, the press were quick to bury any mention of personal mental turmoil. In July 1967, as the anticipation for Brian's biggest project yet, Smile, was slowly fraying behind the scenes internally, press agents for the newly formed Brother Records label, falsely attributed Brian's eccentricities and outlandish behavior as the key to his genius. This classification would haunt Brian's mindset for the entirety of his career. Throughout the 1970's it was documented that the pressure led to career withdrawal and a spiral to substance abuse. As album sales began to dry up, Brian Wilson was eventually coerced back into the organization to produce records in 1976, with a fancy slogan to back it up: "Brian's Back." With the lead off singles, Rock and Roll Music, and It's OK to lead the charge into a new label relationship with Warner Bros. Records, it seemed Wilson was fully back into the fold.

Looking deeper into the situation however, leads fans to uncover an emotionally unstable creative circus bear, hopelessly being wheeled around by his band, forcefully controlled by the corporation demanding hits which stifled his own creativity, and being psychologically ordered around by his doctor, Eugene Landy, creating a toxic relationship that would last into the early 1990's. These unfortunate stops and starts were never documented in any way, save a few articles in gossip papers. Any interview was either well-scripted or extremely off-putting, showing viewers a truly lost soul in a sea of scrambled torment. In fact, knowledge of Landy's control over Brian Wilson's activities were not uncovered until a tell-all expose by Diane Sawyer revealed that Brian's personal will was illegally changed through his psychologist. To say that Brian Wilson's life was under control was a woefully misguided attempt to keep the band's image afloat in music circles. They desperately wanted to keep Brian's image as a genius intact, and to mitigate any oddities as mere faults of eccentricity, rather than reality. The truth was never going to come out, and it was only uncovered through an FBI investigation into the doctor's treatment of a different patient, that led to the discovery in the first place. After an eventual estrangement of the doctor and his patient in 1992, Wilson's recovery would truly begin, although not without periods of instability and sadness.

Wilson's resurgence in the 2000's was also not without troubles. During the sessions of the comeback album Imagination, Wilson began to admit that he flipped out, and that sometimes he was not enjoying himself. Later interviews would indicate that he was being pressured into these sessions due to contractual obligations, rather than personal satisfaction. While these interviews are hard to corroborate, fuel was added to the flame that things were still not okay in the Wilson camp, with no clear answer as to what was going on.

Going to a Brian Wilson show today can lead to two different outcomes. The first is going to an animated show, with a technically sound backing band backing up one of the most unique musicians of the 1960's. The latter outcome, and the most common these days unfortunately, is being faced with a disheveled Wilson, wheeled out in a wheelchair, backed by a nervous group of musicians, squeaking through his most critically acclaimed album, then quickly leaving each show, puzzling critics and fans alike. Does he really want to tour? Is he simply too old to tour? Is Brian Wilson happy? As a fan, the truth is completely open to debate as indicated through critics and Beach Boys circles, and with a new documentary promising to take a more intimate picture of Brian Wilson and his health, it is impossible to know for sure. However, to see this supposedly broken man up and admit to his fans that something is amiss, is a sight to behold.

With this admission, I think it is important to recognize that the stigma behind mental illness is abhorrible, and needs to change. In the music industry, a search for emotional perfectionism and unending positivity to satisfy employment parties, labels, fans, &c. can cause invisible inner turmoil, and without emotional checks and balances can lead to further problems down the road. Mental illness as a correlation for higher creativity output is dangerous to the end user. It is important to recognize that one's personal happiness and self-care should always be a priority in order to live a happy, fulfilling life. Your condition should not be stigmatized as cowardly or dismissed as eccentric. Mental illness is real and can be devastating, and should always be taken seriously. You have a right to health and happiness, and that should never be compromised through coercion or external manipulation.

Without commenting or speculating as to what is going on, I sincerely hope that Brian Wilson will get a chance to truly rest, put things into perspective, and get back to what he truly wants to do in a manner of his choosing.

Wonderful thoughts, and I agree with you 110%. Brian's health is the most important thing; he's given us more than enough in his lifetime.

[Ebb and Flow]

Sorry if this is a stupid, basic question that everyone knows, but Al said Sloop was recorded 2 years BEFORE pet sounds and then the record company put it on when they didnt hear a hit..is that true?  I always assumed it was recorded during the pet sound sessions?

No, the track was recorded in July of 1965 and vocals were recorded in December of 1965 before the majority of the Pet Sounds sessions took place in the winter-spring of '66.  Sloop John B appears in a working track listing submitted to Capitol by Brian (I believe the same one that lists Pet Sounds as "Run James Run" and Let's Go Away For Awhile as "The Old Man and the Baby").  Zero evidence it was included at the insistence of Capitol.  It seems that Brian always intended to include it on the next studio album following "Summer Days..."

[HeyJude]

I know HeyJude said earlier one show was rescheduled, but a couple now just say "Cancelled"
Baltimore
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/brian-wilson-presents-pet-sounds-the-final-performances/event/15005631A7F02C7E
Atlantic City
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/brian-wilson-greatest-hits-live/event/02005661CEA29192

Wouldnt be suprised if all of them end up cancelled...

If they had planned on postponing them it would say "Postponed...date TBA" or something. These saying "cancelled" means theyre already refunding tickets and they are 100% not being rescheduled. If they do then it means you wont be able to keep the same tickets, etc. My guess is all of them will be cancelled, or almost all

Yeah, it's difficult to say what might happen with these shows. I'm guessing venues/promoters can have a say in whether they want to try to reschedule versus just canceling. Apparently, at least one venue so far has chosen to already reschedule.

Last year, when a string of shows was postponed, some of them ended up being rescheduled while others weren't. (And in at least one case, the Nashville shows, they cancelled them and then re-booked new shows and started selling from scratch).

The same might be true of these June dates for this year. The caveat this year would be that there would probably be more skepticism and hesitancy from venues/promoters (and potential ticket buyers) as to whether dates later this year in Aug/Sep/Oct might actually still happen as compared to last year's date which involved a more potentially predictable/tangible recovery time due to a surgery.

[Jim V.]

I'm sure somebody has beaten me to it, but in case nobody has seen the Brian Wilson Facebook page just posted this:

"Brian, Melinda and the Wilson family would like to thank all of you for your wonderful notes and good wishes. Brian looks forward to feeling better and seeing you again this Fall. Love & Mercy."

So I think it's reasonable to think that maybe Brian's getting some much needed rest and maybe some kinda treatment and that he will be back doing what he does soon and back on the road in the fall.

I think I speak for everyone here that all we want is for Brian to be of sound mind and body, at least as much as a 77 year old man can be. If he doesn't feel up to touring and/or recording, so be it. And if he feels best still getting out there and touring and maybe recording some new stuff, that's wonderful too. He's given us so much over his life that just his presence in today's world is good enough for me.