Brian's mental history

[mikeyj]

Just how close did Brian come to not functioning as a human being, may I ask? I once read a story about Brian talking to Hal Blaine during this period. Supposedly, Hal mentioned "Good Vibrations", and Brian had no clue what he was talking about.

Andrew or whoever, do you know what time period it was when Brian apparently kept playing "Heroes And Villains" (I think) and saying to people "do you know that song".. It's in that An American Family movie and I didn't know if it was true or not but then on the A&E documentary Hal Blaine tells the story.

[mikeyj]

Diane Sawyer. She nailed the s.o.b to the wall and it was a pleasure to watch. Think it's on youtube.

Good on her!! One of the unsung heroes in the Brian Wilson story!! Atleast by most people

[endofposts]

"Liver failure" may be an exagerrated term.

If you have liver failure you either get a liver transplant or you die.

There's chronic liver failure (long term damage that requires a transplant because the liver no longer functions at all, or will fail shortly), and acute, short-term liver failure (such as brought on by drug and alcohol OD's).  Sometimes acute liver failure is not so severe as to require an immediate transplant, but can be treated in other ways, then the the liver can heal itself and regenerate, eventually.  However, there is usually some damage remaining.  When Landy was brought in for the second time in the early '80s, Brian had been hospitalized with acute liver failure and other medical problems.  Carnie Wilson said she was told at the time that her father might not live.  It's actually amazing that he did pull out of it and got better.  That's why he was so grateful to Landy, because it is believed that Landy's program did literally save his life, because he was near death at the time Landy was consulted (and his survival depended on getting off drugs, alcohol, and getting back in physical shape).  However, Landy did things that also damaged Brian.  The fact that Brian has brain damage might be the result of taking massive amounts of medication with a liver that was already scarred and damaged.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Just how close did Brian come to not functioning as a human being, may I ask? I once read a story about Brian talking to Hal Blaine during this period. Supposedly, Hal mentioned "Good Vibrations", and Brian had no clue what he was talking about.

Andrew or whoever, do you know what time period it was when Brian apparently kept playing "Heroes And Villains" (I think) and saying to people "do you know that song".. It's in that An American Family movie and I didn't know if it was true or not but then on the A&E documentary Hal Blaine tells the story.

I thought the song was "Good Vibrations", and the time period was late 1975/early 1976, right at the beginning of Brian's re-emergence for the 15 Big Ones/"Brian Is Back" campaign.

[donutbandit]

Wow those are really disturbing videos.  Brian seems so out of it, and there's Landy smiling and justifying cutting Brian off from his family.  Very sad to see.

That's the worst I have ever seen Brian. That probably was the video I referred to previously. I remember watching that. Very painful.

[Jay]

I was going to create a seperate topic for this, but it seems to fit in here too. As of today, how does Brian view the whole "autobiography" debacle?

[mikeyj]

Just how close did Brian come to not functioning as a human being, may I ask? I once read a story about Brian talking to Hal Blaine during this period. Supposedly, Hal mentioned "Good Vibrations", and Brian had no clue what he was talking about.

Andrew or whoever, do you know what time period it was when Brian apparently kept playing "Heroes And Villains" (I think) and saying to people "do you know that song".. It's in that An American Family movie and I didn't know if it was true or not but then on the A&E documentary Hal Blaine tells the story.

I thought the song was "Good Vibrations", and the time period was late 1975/early 1976, right at the beginning of Brian's re-emergence for the 15 Big Ones/"Brian Is Back" campaign.

Yeah you are probably right. I checked the A&E documentary and I was wrong, Hal Blaine just says "he played the intro to one of their hits". I could have sworn I heard H&V but since I was wrong, "Good Vibrations" was probably the song.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Just how close did Brian come to not functioning as a human being, may I ask? I once read a story about Brian talking to Hal Blaine during this period. Supposedly, Hal mentioned "Good Vibrations", and Brian had no clue what he was talking about.

Andrew or whoever, do you know what time period it was when Brian apparently kept playing "Heroes And Villains" (I think) and saying to people "do you know that song".. It's in that An American Family movie and I didn't know if it was true or not but then on the A&E documentary Hal Blaine tells the story.

Mid-seventies - this was one of the many circumstantial details that the 2000 mini series got right. I think it was "GV", though and I'm pretty sure Carol Kaye was there too. I'd ask her, but... 

[Andrew G. Doe]

"Liver failure" may be an exagerrated term.

If you have liver failure you either get a liver transplant or you die.

There's chronic liver failure (long term damage that requires a transplant because the liver no longer functions at all, or will fail shortly), and acute, short-term liver failure (such as brought on by drug and alcohol OD's).  Sometimes acute liver failure is not so severe as to require an immediate transplant, but can be treated in other ways, then the the liver can heal itself and regenerate, eventually.  However, there is usually some damage remaining.  When Landy was brought in for the second time in the early '80s, Brian had been hospitalized with acute liver failure and other medical problems.  Carnie Wilson said she was told at the time that her father might not live.  It's actually amazing that he did pull out of it and got better.  That's why he was so grateful to Landy, because it is believed that Landy's program did literally save his life, because he was near death at the time Landy was consulted (and his survival depended on getting off drugs, alcohol, and getting back in physical shape).  However, Landy did things that also damaged Brian.  The fact that Brian has brain damage might be the result of taking massive amounts of medication with a liver that was already scarred and damaged.

According to a 1982 interview with Landy, when he was put in charge of Brian for the second time, they immediately  checked him into hospital for a full medical, and his actual words were "he had 30% lung capacity and no liver". The former I can believe, but not the latter, as Brian would have been 1) yellow and 2) dead shortly thereafter.  You can do very nicely for quite a while with a liver that's got an increasingly reduced function. And I can say that with some authority. 

[donutbandit]

Been watching a lot of Brian video the past few days, and for at least the past 10 years, his mouth is twisted to the left almost all the time, even when he's not talking. That would seem to debunk the loss of hearing theory, unless it's become a habit.

The stroke theory seems to match almost everything we see nowadays, except - if it was a stroke, we would expect to see a sudden change in Brian's behavior, and from what I can see, it's all been gradual.

[MBE]

Well a minor stroke wouldn't show changes beyond what we do see. I hardly think he had a major stroke, but the story I heard seems credible. Again in the spirit of fairness it has been oft denied.

[Jay]

Also, if he did have a stroke, we should be able to notice slight paralysis in his arms or legs.

[Jay]

There was a video of Brian posted by jmc in my topic about the 1996 Beach Boys studio sessions, but I thought it also belongs here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsqaASroCTs

[Jay]

Even in 1995, Brian to me seemed more "normal" than he does today. Although, to say that Brian is not "lucid" today seems unfair to me. Brian is still a very intelligent man, and a facinating "interviewee". He just acts much more shy, or even scared, to be around people today.

[donutbandit]

Also, if he did have a stroke, we should be able to notice slight paralysis in his arms or legs.

Possibly the source of the strange gait he has been attributed with?

[donutbandit]

I watched the "very long" interview on Youtube (please don't ask me to name the interviewer - it's beyond the scope of my memory) and Brian seems unable to continue even the slightest conversation. The interviewer asked many questions designed to draw him out, and the response was always a direct answer to the question, maybe with a "yeah" at the end to punctuate it. And than, a blank look.

Maybe stage fright?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Also, if he did have a stroke, we should be able to notice slight paralysis in his arms or legs.

Footage in the late 80s/early 90s showing Brian jogging (more shuffling, actually) caused my doctor to say to me, unprompted, "that man has very probably had a stroke sometime, though he might not realise it". Then again it could be due to Landy's medication.

[donutbandit]

So, why would the Landy camp, and now, the Brian camp, deny the stroke theory? What an easy way out for the Landy camp. "Brian suffered a small stroke while under surgery, and this is why he talks out of one side of his mouth, slurs his words, and can't follow conversations."

Landy is dead, so maybe the current Brian camp hopes to sue the Landy estate for malpractice.

It's way late in the game, so maybe the current Brian camp just wishes to allow peace. That is what I wish as well.

I still think that Brian exhibits symptoms of a stroke.

[Shane]

There are a couple of general points that I'd like to contribute to this discussion.  If someone with medical training would like to disagree, go right ahead, but here's what I've come to know:

1. Brain damage that is outwardly noticeable due to drug use, many times, comes about in a very delayed way.  Your brain has built-in "reserve cells" that are meant to come into use later in life, after the initial cells die off.  When someone uses drugs that cause brain cells to die, the brain will revert to these "reserve cells" at first.  While these reserve cells are in use, no outwardly noticeable consequences may occur.  Later on in life, however, when it comes time for the brain to use the "reserve cells", they aren't available.  So sometimes its only then that a person will begin to show visible signs of brain damage.  This may, in part, explain why Brian's personality seemed to be more "with it" in 1981 versus today.  Its a delayed reaction.

2.  Keep in mind that medications Brian is currently taking are not without side affects.  This may affect the way Brian acts/responds at a certain time on a certain day.  If Brian seems rather "not with it" on a certain day, it may not be because his condition has worsened drastically over the past 10 years, it just may be a side affect of whatever he's currently on.  If taken off proper clinical medication (as he was circa 1981), he may end up seeming more "with it" in some ways, but his symptoms may grow worse as well.

Just some thoughts.

[Amy B.]

Also, sometimes when Brian is not forthcoming in interviews or seems "out of it," it might just be because he's not comfortable with the situation or having a day where the symptoms of his mental illness are more present. Brian's friends claim that in private, when he's comfortable, Brian is very lucid. You can choose to believe that or not, but there have been cases where he's caught on camera like that. For example, his 1997 chat with George Martin. He's taking to Martin with such passion and nuance in his voice-- he reminds me of 60s Brian. Also, his interview from the Rodney Bingenheimer DVD shows a very lucid and comfortable Brian. More recently, the interview in the tour book (a print interview) contains very long, funny, conversational responses to the questions, and Brian was speaking to someone he's known for years.

Overall, Brian seems less open and talkative than he was before the 1990s, but he is clearly capable of having a conversation at times.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I've also wondered about the possibility of a stroke, but I usually end of doubting it for two reasons. First, after the possible stroke, Brian was running over 5 miles a day. That's not a walk in the park, even for non-stroke 45+ year old people. Now, that's still possible after a stroke, look at the New England Patriots Teddy Brusci. He returned to the NFL after a stroke. But Landy was on thin ice at the time, and for him to not find out and/or not disclose it - and, to be working Brian out like that -  well, that would've been crossing the line, even for Landy.

Second, and this is not a knock at Melinda, so don't attack me! I'm sure Melinda has had Brian checked out from head (and I repeat head) to toe - at least a couple of times. If Brian had a stroke, I believe that she would've disclosed it in an interview. She's been very forthcoming with her comments on Brian's condition. And, come to think about it, so has Brian. The stroke diagnosis would've come out.

[Mr. Wilson]

Sheriff.. I do believe your RIGHT..! Hasnt BW allways been forthcoming with the good bad + ugly..??.. BB used it for publicity also..I AGREE with U TOTALLY...!!

[Dr. Tim]

Some prior posters hint at this, but let's bring it out front.  Brian's condition can change not only from day to day, but hour to hour.  This is clear from the documentary, his other TV appearances, and having seem him up close and spoken briefly with him.  He can be all there, and then not there.  When he is there, he's scary focused, like a laser.  That's when he gets things done, or is particularly witty.  The "President to Three Dog Night" line fits in that category, as does the "Strangers In The Night" remark, which I took as a gag too.  The meds he takes probably need constant adjustment  (a common problem for that kind of therapy).   Also remember Peter Reum's diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia due to the earlier overdoses of antipsychotic drugs, the sequelae from that can look like a stroke too.   I don't think that is now seriously disputed.  And don't forget: his fading in and out could be a deliberate strategy, an easy way to end an interview or other encounter he is bored with.   (That is my guess anyway, more knowledgable folk can confirm or debunk that).  I have a friend who has consciously developed that technique and it is so effective I've caught myself starting to do it too; it's a great way to end a conversation if you don't mind people thinking you're a little spacey.

[Sheriff John Stone]

In my opinion, I don't think Brian's "fading in and out" is intentional or a game. I wish it was.

And, I believe he was totally serious about "Strangers In The Night". It probably was his favorite song - at that very moment.

[Aegir]

Brian answers questions in a weird way. I remember reading an interview that went something like:

Interviewer - What's the last movie you've seen?
Brian - Norbitt.
Interviewer - What's your favorite movie of all time?
Brian - Norbitt.

Or how he said that Lyle Lovett's version of God Only Knows was his favorite. That's because it was the last version he had heard. And I'm sure he would've said that Hootie and the Blowfish's version of I Get Around or whatever was his favorite version of that song, too.