Last known pictures of Dennis and Carl

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Actually, I remember somebody on here mentioning that they saw a show from around 1996, and Carl drank throughout the show. It was also mentioned by one of the experts here(possibly AGD?) that the whole issue with Landy and the "autobiography" had taken a huge toll on Carl.

Don't remember that. Was it an audience member or insider? Only ask as how would an audience member know what he was drinking? Heck, he did summer tours for over 35 years in some pretty hot weather at those outdoor gigs. Doesn't mean it was alcohol.

It was in a brown paper bag, I seriously doubt it was orange juice.

[southbay]

I will say that between 1991 and 1997 I saw Carl backstage at nearly every California show the group did.  On each occasion I spoke with Carl briefly, saw him in his dressing room and on the band's tour bus. Not on one occasion did I see him with anything stronger than a bottle of Perrier.  Now did he retreat to his hotel room after shows and drink?  That I cannot say. But before, during and around shows during that time period I never saw him with alcohol.

[Jon Stebbins]

It was also mentioned by one of the experts here(possibly AGD?) that the whole issue with Landy and the "autobiography" had taken a huge toll on Carl.

I think it's difficult to determine causality between the emotional/psychological toll that the Landy issue took on Carl and his cancer.  It's possible that the stress impacted his health, but it's also possible that people mistook early symptoms of his cancer as the result of stress from the Landy issue.  Since he was diagnosed in stage IV, he probably had the cancer a long time before it was diagnosed, possibly as long as several years.

A few reliable sources have intimated to me that Carl was "not feeling well" as early as 1994.

[Jay]

I remember quite clearly discussing Carl with my dad back in 1996. He had heard from somewhere(I believe he said on the radio) that Carl was quite ill from some type of cancer. So there definitely was some talk about something going on with Carl before the "official" announcement.

Ok, this might seem like a dumb question. In the official announcement, we learned that Carl had lung cancer with secondary tumors in the brain. It was already stage IV by then, right?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Yeah.

[Jay]

In the few recordings I've heard from  that period, you'd never be able to tell anything is wrong. Carl sounded just a beautiful as ever. God Only Knows took on a new meaning. I can't decide whether his decision to tour was a good thing or not. It was very brave of him to want to keep touring, but did it eventually take more out of him than he could afford to lose?

It still kind of bugs me that Brian didn't join the group with his brother one last time on that tour. 

[zachrwolfe]

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[Jay]

Or was it caught early when we didn't know about it, but it just spread and progressed quickly?

[MBE]

Or was it caught early when we didn't know about it, but it just spread and progressed quickly?

It's hard to know with Carl. He kept a lot private and his friends respect that still.

[Jay]

I respect that he was a private man, and his family still probably wants it that way, but it's so frustrating as a fan!  If you look at pictures and videos starting at about 1995 and on, it's fairly obvious that something was wrong. I've heard stories about him having gout(sp?) and wearing a back brace, but I can't even find out any details about that.

[Gohi]

I respect that he was a private man, and his family still probably wants it that way, but it's so frustrating as a fan! 

Eh I don't know if that's the most tasteful emoticon choice for this discussion...

[MBE]

I respect that he was a private man, and his family still probably wants it that way, but it's so frustrating as a fan!  If you look at pictures and videos starting at about 1995 and on, it's fairly obvious that something was wrong. I've heard stories about him having gout(sp?) and wearing a back brace, but I can't even find out any details about that.

It is frustrating as a fan. As a writer I feel I have all the good info on him as an artist or a Beach Boy. It's his true private life (especially past the seventies) I don't know much about. That's actually a choice made by me because my biographical information is mainly centered around their public life. I mean I talk about them personally, but mainly in relation to how it effected the group. Of course Carl's death ended the group basically so I asked about it. Really most of the people I interviewed just were not around the last years enough to know, or if they were I decided what they offered was enough.

[Emdeeh]

I've also heard that Carl suffered from gout.

I can confirm that he wore a back brace in his later years. It was kind of noticeable when you hugged him.

I've also spoken with fans who were backstage when Carl was dealing with severe back pain between 2-up shows. It's bad enough to have to stand during for one show in pain, and then have to face another one. It's rather remarkable that he didn't resort to sitting on a stool sooner.

His back problems began with that bad injury in the mid-'70s when he tried to lift a TV set and wound up in traction. He seemed to be OK in the '80s, but chronic back troubles returned in the '90s.

[Jay]

Playing a rather large looking Gibson in the mid 1990's probably made it even harder on his back. I wonder why he didn't trade it for something lighter?

[Rocker]

Playing a rather large looking Gibson in the mid 1990's probably made it even harder on his back. I wonder why he didn't trade it for something lighter?

He did play his Strat now and then

[Lonely Summer]

I remember how slim - for Carl - he looked on his solo tours, and throughout most of the 80's; hadn't seen him in a couple years when the Beach Boys did Regis and Kathie Lee in 96 to promote S&S, and I thought Carl looked like he had put on a lot of weight again. Beyond that, there was just something about his appearance that concerned me. Still, I never dreamed he'd be gone less than 2 years later.

[The 4th Wilson Bro.]

I remember Carl looking very tired/haggard during some of the Boys' 1995 appearances. But then his overall appearance REALLY changed in 1996 when he aged drastically. It was almost like it happened overnight. Somehow, I can't help believing that a thorough medical exam as early as '94 or '95 might have ultimately saved Carl's life. But then again, who knows whether the cancer may have actually been discovered earlier than 1996?

How I wish someone in the Wilson's inner circle would write or speak publicly about the last years of Carl's life. I certainly understand the family's need to respect Carl's wishes to keep his private life private. But I don't relish the thought that I'll never know anything more about the life and death of this man that I've admired my entire life.

[Steve Mayo]

when I saw carl last it was the end of may 1997 in Columbus oh. with Chicago. carl sang well but looked really tired and bad. he got huge applause after each song he sung and nodded at the crowd. but he look bad.
I thought something was wrong with him when I saw him in may 1995 on the big red boat show. even said so to our group. something just wasn't right.

[guitarfool2002]

Playing a rather large looking Gibson in the mid 1990's probably made it even harder on his back. I wonder why he didn't trade it for something lighter?

He did play his Strat now and then

The Gibson 335-style guitars he played are semi-hollow, they're not much heavier if at all than a Strat despite the body size. If he had been playing something like a specific year solidbody Les Paul, it may have been more of an issue, but even then only a few pounds heavier. The average Strats and Gibson semi-hollowbodies like Carl's usually weigh in around 8-9 pounds.

[Lonely Summer]

I remember Carl looking very tired/haggard during some of the Boys' 1995 appearances. But then his overall appearance REALLY changed in 1996 when he aged drastically. It was almost like it happened overnight. Somehow, I can't help believing that a thorough medical exam as early as '94 or '95 might have ultimately saved Carl's life. But then again, who knows whether the cancer may have actually been discovered earlier than 1996?

How I wish someone in the Wilson's inner circle would write or speak publicly about the last years of Carl's life. I certainly understand the family's need to respect Carl's wishes to keep his private life private. But I don't relish the thought that I'll never know anything more about the life and death of this man that I've admired my entire life.

I feel the same way. It still makes me extremely sad - on the verge of tears - to think how this wonderful man's life ended so early.

[zachrwolfe]

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[Jay]

Oh, how I wish I would have met The Beach Boys and seen them in concert when I had the chance. It was in November of 1996, so it may have been right around the time Carl was starting to have health issues.

[The 4th Wilson Bro.]

I remember Carl looking very tired/haggard during some of the Boys' 1995 appearances. But then his overall appearance REALLY changed in 1996 when he aged drastically. It was almost like it happened overnight. Somehow, I can't help believing that a thorough medical exam as early as '94 or '95 might have ultimately saved Carl's life. But then again, who knows whether the cancer may have actually been discovered earlier than 1996?

How I wish someone in the Wilson's inner circle would write or speak publicly about the last years of Carl's life. I certainly understand the family's need to respect Carl's wishes to keep his private life private. But I don't relish the thought that I'll never know anything more about the life and death of this man that I've admired my entire life.

Being the 4th Wilson brother, you should know plenty.

I'm afraid to talk. The fear of God that Murry instilled in me as a child still looms large – and the man has been dead 40 years. 

[bluesno1fann]

You know what would be interesting? Finding the last known pictures of Murry Wilson! 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Trying to think... not sure I've seen a pic of him post 1967. He gained a ton of weight towards the end.