by Brett Manero
The music world lost an absolute legend in the death of Beach Boys founder and leader, Brian Wilson. Wilson was a titan of music – performing, writing, producing – during his heyday in the 1960’s, when the Beach Boys were at their apex.
Founded in California in the early 1960’s, the Beach Boys were long known as “America’s Band,” dominating the music scene until the British Invasion led by the Beatles in 1964. Even with the dominance of British bands – the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, among many others – the Beach Boys remained titans and Wilson himself was arguably a musical genius. The 1966 album, Pet Sounds, remains one of the greatest achievements in musical history all these decades later. Pet Sounds was largely written and arranged by Wilson himself, with his brothers Carl, Dennis, his cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine contributing. The album was largely inspired by and meant to be a response to the Beatles’ masterpiece, Rubber Soul, released in late 1965, another album widely considered one of the greatest of that era. The Beach Boys and Beatles enjoyed a friendly rivalry, with Paul McCartney highly praising the achievements of Wilson and the Beach Boys.
But perhaps Brian will just as much be remembered for his struggles with mental health. For decades, his mental health struggles were the fight of his life. The pressure of stardom and music production took its toll on the young man, who increasingly struggled as the decade went on and especially into the 1970’s. In his later years, Wilson opened up candidly about his struggles, admitting that even throughout the 2000’s, these struggles with depression and other issues were still a daily challenge.
But like anyone with depression or any mental health challenge, perseverance is the key. Wilson often came close to despair, but never did. He sought help. He talked about it. He chose to ignore the negative voices in his head that lied to him, accusing him of being worthless. He chose to hold onto whatever sense of dignity he could muster up.
Brian Wilson contributed an unimaginable amount to the development of rock and pop music, and he was also a titan of overcoming the enemy of depression and inner darkness. Thanks for the inspiration, Brian. Rest in peace!