Brian's Autobiography

[Mike's Beard]

What is the legal status of Wouldn't it be Nice?

I know that Mike, Carl and Audree issued lawsuits along the lines of character inflammation.  Who were the lawsuits specifically against? Brian? Landy? Gold? The publishers? All of the above?

I'm aware that an out of court settlement was reached between the parties. Was it essentially a "take this money and never complain about the book again" deal? Or were there terms such as the book had to be withdrawn from retailers? Or was the deal different with oversea's publishers?

I ask because it still suprises me when I walk into a bookshop in the UK and still see this book for sale knowing the complete lies within in it's pages.

[The Shift]

Good query. Given that it's still available, surely it should have been edited post-lawsuits; were earlier editions withdrawn and pulped? Or were the suits not actually upheld, and the payouts were for different issues?

Incidentally I don't think everything in the book is a lie. By my reading, Gold simply delved into other published works (books and articles) and took their content as a true history of events, then put it all into Brian's words, with the late Dr Landy sprinkling on his version as he'd like to see it.

[The Heartical Don]

What is the legal status of Wouldn't it be Nice?

I know that Mike, Carl and Audree issued lawsuits along the lines of character inflammation.  Who were the lawsuits specifically against? Brian? Landy? Gold? The publishers? All of the above?

I'm aware that an out of court settlement was reached between the parties. Was it essentially a "take this money and never complain about the book again" deal? Or were there terms such as the book had to be withdrawn from retailers? Or was the deal different with oversea's publishers?

I ask because it still suprises me when I walk into a bookshop in the UK and still see this book for sale knowing the complete lies within in it's pages.

Never heard of this mysterious disease. I am sure our Luther will be able to elucidate.

[Mike's Beard]

I bought my copy from Borders about 3 years ago and it was a fairly recent reprint. In it Audree is made out to be an alcoholic who silently sits by while her husband tortures their sons, Mike a physically abusive nutcase and Carl is portrayed as a no talent leech who is insanely jealous of Brian. I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

[The Heartical Don]

I bought my copy from Borders about 3 years ago and it was a fairly recent reprint. In it Audree is made out to be an alcoholic who silently sits by while her husband tortures their sons, Mike a physically abusive nutcase and Carl is portrayed as a no talent leech who is insanely jealous of Brian. I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

If memory serves, it's the original text from 1991 or thereabouts. I recognize these topics. Bear in mind that Brian had nigh on zero to do with the contents. Gold later admitted he had a couple of interviews with Brian, where the latter was in familiar 'yes' and 'no' mode. That was all. IIRC Gold used existing material (notably Gaines' Heroes and Villains book) to compile his book, with serious input by life saver, clinical hero, talented artist, and all-round wonderful human being Eugene Landy.

[kwan_dk]

I bought my copy from Borders about 3 years ago and it was a fairly recent reprint. In it Audree is made out to be an alcoholic who silently sits by while her husband tortures their sons, Mike a physically abusive nutcase and Carl is portrayed as a no talent leech who is insanely jealous of Brian. I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

That's interesting. I bought my copy 6 or 7 years ago and have read it two times since then, but I can't remember anything about Audree being portrayed as an alcoholic. Or stabs at Carl for that matter. But it may be that I just don't recall those portions of the text - do we know for a fact that there aren't any revised editions textwise?

On an entirely different matter; a pretty telling reflection of the book and its content is the fact that my copy has a photo on the cover of the group without Brian. And with Carl highlighted as if he's Brian Wilson!  Gosh, what a glaring mistake.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I bought my copy from Borders about 3 years ago and it was a fairly recent reprint. In it Audree is made out to be an alcoholic who silently sits by while her husband tortures their sons, Mike a physically abusive nutcase and Carl is portrayed as a no talent leech who is insanely jealous of Brian. I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

The text was never revised - what you see today is what was originally published. Alan's suit was dismissed, Mike won an undisclosed out-of-court settlement and I can't recall what happened to the 'family' suit. That was given the OK to proceed in mid-1995 (in New Mexico), but given that both Carl & Audree would die within three years, I think it might have lapsed.

[Mike's Beard]

I bought my copy from Borders about 3 years ago and it was a fairly recent reprint. In it Audree is made out to be an alcoholic who silently sits by while her husband tortures their sons, Mike a physically abusive nutcase and Carl is portrayed as a no talent leech who is insanely jealous of Brian. I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

That's interesting. I bought my copy 6 or 7 years ago and have read it two times since then, but I can't remember anything about Audree being portrayed as an alcoholic. Or stabs at Carl for that matter. But it may be that I just don't recall those portions of the text - do we know for a fact that there aren't any revised editions textwise?

On an entirely different matter; a pretty telling reflection of the book and its content is the fact that my copy has a photo on the cover of the group without Brian. And with Carl highlighted as if he's Brian Wilson!  Gosh, what a glaring mistake.

It may have been Carl that was given the alcoholic label. I distinctly remember Landy points the finger of blame at Carl for Denny not getting clean and drowning. That really is low.

[the captain]

I distinctly remember Landy points the finger of blame at Carl for Denny not getting clean and drowning. That really is low.

Specifically, after making note that Carl and his manager were concerned about the cost of treatment for Dennis, the book says:

Carl didn't want to upset his family's holiday plans by having, as Dr. Landy suggested, an intervention in Lake Arrowhead. Carl suggested talking after the holidays. Dr. Landy told Schilling to tell Carl he was making a grave error. ... Carl was adamant, though; he didn't want to deal with the problem until after New Year's.

p312, 1st ed.

[Mike's Beard]

By which point HOW many years had he been there for both Dennis and Brian and how many times tried to get them help?

[summerinparadise.flac]

I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

Mike kills a kid while working as a police officer. "He pulled out a gun and I shot him. It was just a toy gun. I did my job and a kid is dead".
Audree one ups Murry by taking out both of her eyes.
The younger, fatter, Carl eats a dude.

[Mike's Beard]

When Mike is taken in for questioning he says "The ghosts told me to pull the trigger." Then levitates to saftey.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I doubt it is but if that is a re-edited version I wonder what the original text was like?

Mike kills a kid while working as a police officer. "He pulled out a gun and I shot him. It was just a toy gun. I did my job and a kid is dead".
Audree one ups Murry by taking out both of her eyes.
The younger, fatter, Carl eats a dude.

Wins for the Die Hard reference.

[Emdeeh]

I have heard from reliable sources that Carl had Dennis staying over with him in Colorado for a few days in December '83.

Calling WIBN an autobiography is a huge stretch in my opinion. Brian deserves better, and so do his brothers. Carl was slandered libeled in the book, imho.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have heard from reliable sources that Carl had Dennis staying over with him in Colorado for a few days in December '83.

Entirely possible - aside from the "EMW" vocal sessions in NYC just before Christmas, the band had no other commitments whatsoever in December 1983.

[Wirestone]

Slandered is speech, libeled is print.

And given that Carl is a public figure, the book probably isn't libelous under U.S. law. (Basically, if someone is famous, you can say almost anything you want about them. It's how the tabloids stay in business.)

[joe_blow]

Slandered is speech, libeled is print.

And given that Carl is a public figure, the book probably isn't libelous under U.S. law. (Basically, if someone is famous, you can say almost anything you want about them. It's how the tabloids stay in business.)

Then don't you mean write in this case?

[Jon Stebbins]

I have heard from reliable sources that Carl had Dennis staying over with him in Colorado for a few days in December '83.

Jim Guercio told me that Carl and Audree were in Colorado at his home over Xmas and they were all discussing a conservatorship and strategies for treatment for Dennis. Jerry Schilling later told me that he was there as well, and that he got the call about Dennis drowning and had to pass the news on to Carl and Audree. No one has ever mentioned that Dennis was in CO in Dec. too, and since we know Dennis' day to day was in Venice/Santa Monica in the weeks prior to his death, if he was in CO it must have been early in December? I'll ask Jim what he remembers next time I talk to him, but that's an interesting twist if true. Maybe Ed has a recollection too.

[MBE]

What's bad about the book is that so much false information on the group was taken as gospel. Another bad thing is that dozens of lazy researchers have furthered these stories. Even the relatively innocent ones seem to have major fact flaws.

[Mike's Beard]

It was the first Beach Boy book I ever got. I then bought Smile: the Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. As you can imagine for a while I thought Mike Love was Satan reincarnate. It was only when I read Catch A Wave that I finally got a more balanced perspective.

[The Shift]

It was the first Beach Boy book I ever got. I then bought Smile: the Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. As you can imagine for a while I thought Mike Love was Satan reincarnate. It was only when I read Catch A Wave that I finally got a more balanced perspective.

Well said!  Peter's book was certainly one of the fairest, the most balanced accounts. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

It was the first Beach Boy book I ever got. I then bought Smile: the Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. As you can imagine for a while I thought Mike Love was Satan reincarnate. It was only when I read Catch A Wave that I finally got a more balanced perspective.

Well said!  Peter's book was certainly one of the fairest, the most balanced accounts. 

And more to the point, Peter actually talked to Mike: I think he may have been the very first BB biographer to do so.

I'd dearly love to see a book, or even a long article, written by Mike and giving his side of things, but sadly, that's highly unlikely to happen.

[The Heartical Don]

It was the first Beach Boy book I ever got. I then bought Smile: the Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. As you can imagine for a while I thought Mike Love was Satan reincarnate. It was only when I read Catch A Wave that I finally got a more balanced perspective.

Well said!  Peter's book was certainly one of the fairest, the most balanced accounts. 

And more to the point, Peter actually talked to Mike: I think he may have been the very first BB biographer to do so.

I'd dearly love to see a book, or even a long article, written by Mike and giving his side of things, but sadly, that's highly unlikely to happen.

Me too. I am desperate to know how he, apart from doing 1,000 shows a year, found time to invent the internet.

[Mike's Beard]

If the Internet didn't exist, it would be necessary for us to invent it just to discuss Mike Love.

[absinthe_boy]

Mike isn't evil....OK he's lawsuit-happy and can be an ass at times but most of what he is documented as having done or said can be understood and explained. We don't have to agree with it all to understand it.

There was a 'biography' of Pink Floyd published in the early 90's where the author made many attempts to interview Roger Waters (in addition to Wright/Mason/Gilmour) in order to get a fair and balanced picture. He didn't achieve an interview with Waters so he talked to people who were likely to be on his 'side'. The book turned out to be pretty balanced.

Oh to have a BB biography as carefully written.