The Steven Gaines Thread

[MBE]

Steven, I have a question for you. A page or two back in this topic, you mentioned that you have several hours of Landy on tape. I was wondering, were you ever given access to the "therapy songwriting sessions" with Brian and Landy from the early 1980's?

No, when I was involved I dont think Landy was blatent enough to be writing songs with him yet.  Landy gave me all that access because he was convinced that I would write an article about him and he'd be on the cover of Rolling Stone.  It was only after "Brian Wilson is Trying to Catch Another Wave" (New West magazine, 1976) was published that Landy let go of all pretense and became Brian's writing partner.  Landy was such a charlatan as a doctor.  I have a copy of a book of hip slang he published before he became Brian's shrink.  He was a used car salesman.

Very good summation of Landy. I actually tracked down the New West article and it really is a great piece. I think it was the first no holds barred look at the Beach Boys. I feel it's kind of the root of the book but has it's own unique 1976 perspective. Meaning that at the time the Beach Boys still had a chance to pull things together. Why they didn't can really be traced back to what you wrote there.

[Ganz Allein]

Steven, I have a question for you. A page or two back in this topic, you mentioned that you have several hours of Landy on tape. I was wondering, were you ever given access to the "therapy songwriting sessions" with Brian and Landy from the early 1980's?

No, when I was involved I dont think Landy was blatent enough to be writing songs with him yet.  Landy gave me all that access because he was convinced that I would write an article about him and he'd be on the cover of Rolling Stone.  It was only after "Brian Wilson is Trying to Catch Another Wave" (New West magazine, 1976) was published that Landy let go of all pretense and became Brian's writing partner.  Landy was such a charlatan as a doctor.  I have a copy of a book of hip slang he published before he became Brian's shrink.  He was a used car salesman.

Steven, this touches on something that I've always been unclear about. Did Landy suggest topics or actually write some of the lyrics with Brian for the "Love You" and "Adult/Child" albums?  Or did he not "co-write" anything until his second time around with Brian?  Thanks.

[Beach Boy Author]

I just was going through some stuff in the closet and I found a composition notebook with a few notes in it from a phone call I had with Milt Love.  This is what the notes say:

Mt. Vernon and Fairway.
40 by 20 foot living room.  Red rugs, white couchs, chairs with ottomans.  designed by Glee, made by Windsor Hills upholsterers.

At one of the Christmas parties it was reported to Milt that one of the Wilsons put out his cigarette on the run.

After Dennis' funeral Mike celebrated with a bottle of champagne.

Forced Mike Love to babysit, when he left the casement windows open and Glee found out she put all his belongings out on the porch.

Next page is titled "Stan Love" from an interview with him:

Dennis had a choice of going into the army or McLaren Juvenile Hall.  Den pilferred from the neighbors.  This got Murry upset.  Den was ruining the rep of the Wilsons in the neighborhood.

Stephen Love was quiet, into coin collecting and stamps, student council, he was a good kid.

Stan says he was a "deliquent trouble maker, went to college on athletic scholarships.  Within the Love family Stan wasa considered a bad apple."

The Love children weren't allowed to stay at the Wilsons.

[Andrew G. Doe]

After Dennis' funeral Mike celebrated with a bottle of champagne.

I recall reading something slightly different, i.e. that Mike showed up with a couple of bottles of vintage champagne before the memorial service as he reckoned DW would have appreciated it.

[Paulos]

Mike celebrated Dennis's death?!?!  As in a celebration of Dennis's life or as in 'I'm glad he's dead'?

[Jason]

I've heard two versions of the story of Michael's reaction to Dennis' death - the version Andrew recounted in his post above, and the other, which basically was Michael cracking open champagne and proudly declaring "well, that's one less Wilson I have to deal with."

But, to be fair, by 1983, either one of them would most likely have celebrated the other's death considering how much they couldn't stand each other.

[Andrew G. Doe]

"We were all so much a part of each other that I'm sure we'll miss him every single day for the rest of our lives. There's no way we'll not miss him."

Mike Love, January 1984.

[MBE]

After Dennis' funeral Mike celebrated with a bottle of champagne.

I recall reading something slightly different, i.e. that Mike showed up with a couple of bottles of vintage champagne before the memorial service as he reckoned DW would have appreciated it.

I remember reading it the same way you do. Maybe to Milt it seemed in bad taste and that was just how he took it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

After Dennis' funeral Mike celebrated with a bottle of champagne.

I recall reading something slightly different, i.e. that Mike showed up with a couple of bottles of vintage champagne before the memorial service as he reckoned DW would have appreciated it.

I remember reading it the same way you do. Maybe to Milt it seemed in bad taste and that was just how he took it.

My information is that Mike and his father (who is still alive, I believe - mid-90s) haven't spoken for something like 20-odd years.

[bgas]

After Dennis' funeral Mike celebrated with a bottle of champagne.

I recall reading something slightly different, i.e. that Mike showed up with a couple of bottles of vintage champagne before the memorial service as he reckoned DW would have appreciated it.

I remember reading it the same way you do. Maybe to Milt it seemed in bad taste and that was just how he took it.

My information is that Mike and his father (who is still alive, I believe - mid-90s) haven't spoken for something like 20-odd years.

Could that be anymore perfect for the BBs world we live in?

[Beach Boy Author]

This from New York magazine online:

You don’t think of Beach Boys co-founder and lead singer Mike Love as a New Yorker. But the prototypical California boy and his wife, Jacquelyne, did buy an apartment on East 93rd Street in 2004. “They wanted to renovate something,” says broker Gary Brynes of the Corcoran Group, who’s now selling the space for the Loves. Priced at $2.35 million, it’s a top-of-the-line rehab: Brynes (who’s handling the listing with Marcia Salonger) says the couple handpicked the finishes and oversaw all the details of the extensive reworking, which combined two units. The kitchen has a built-in glass table cantilevered from a counter, and in two of the bathrooms, the floors have rocks embedded in tile, lending it a pebbly beach feel. Endless summer indeed.

Read more: New York City Real Estate - The Beach Boys’ Mike Love Is Selling His Upper East Side Apartment -- New York Magazine http://nymag.com/realestate/movers/62900/#ixzz0byKjOUWx

[MBE]

Thanks for the info about Mike.

[ghost]

I've heard two versions of the story of Michael's reaction to Dennis' death - the version Andrew recounted in his post above, and the other, which basically was Michael cracking open champagne and proudly declaring "well, that's one less Wilson I have to deal with."

Bahahahahaha!

[tony p]

Hi Steven, not sure if your still checking this thread but i just finished reading 'Heroes & Villians' and i just wanna say how much i enjoyed it.

i knew going in that this book focuses more on the 'dirty laundry' aspect of the band but thats exactly what i wanted to read about.

I found myself thinking several times during this book "what the hell are these guys thinking?". You realise just how self destructive they were.

Great job!

 

[MaryUSA]

Hi all,

I started reading Heroes & Villains last week.  I just read about Dennis's death.  I will read chapters 2 and 3 when I have a chance.  I know that this book will cover a lot of things that would be considered gossip, dirty laundry or self distructive.  I do think that the drugs and alcohol were either ways of self meidcating or self abuse.  I was only in high school when I ifrst read about Brain doing drugs.  I was in high school when Dennis died.  I have read about Mike and the champagne also.  The Landy part should be interesting and scary.