Editing Brian Wilson (section)

==1962–1966: Peak years==

{{Quote box
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|quote=Brian Wilson ''is'' the Beach Boys. He is the band. We're his fucking messengers. He is all of it. Period. We're nothing. He's everything.
|source=—Dennis Wilson{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=316}}
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===Early productions and freelancing===
In 1962, Wilson and the Beach Boys signed a seven-year contract with Capitol Records under producer [[Nick Venet]].{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=24, 28}}{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=206}} During sessions for their debut album, ''[[Surfin' Safari]]'', Wilson negotiated with Capitol to record the band outside the label's [[Capitol Studios|basement studios]], which he deemed ill-suited for his group.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=26}}{{refn|group=nb|Their rooms had been designed for large orchestras and ensembles of the 1950s, not small rock groups.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=26}}}} At Wilson's insistence, Capitol permitted the Beach Boys to fund their own external sessions while retaining all rights to the recordings.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=26}} He also secured production control over the album, though he was not credited for this role in the liner notes.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=26}}{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=300}}

Inspired by producer [[Phil Spector]], whose work with [[the Teddy Bears]] he admired, Wilson sought to emulate Spector's career path.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=43}}{{sfn|White|1996|pp=111, 172}} Wilson reflected, "I've always felt I was a behind-the-scenes man, rather than an entertainer."{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=286}} Collaborating with songwriter [[Gary Usher]], he composed numerous songs patterned after the Teddy Bears' style and produced records for local talent, though without commercial breakthrough.{{sfn|White|1996|pp=146, 161}} His first uncredited production outside the Beach Boys was Rachel and the Revolvers' "The Revo-Lution", co-written with Usher and released by [[Dot Records]] in September.{{sfn|Murphy|2015|pp=227–228}} Interference from Wilson's father eventually led to the dissolution of his partnership with Usher.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=20}}{{sfn|Murphy|2015|pp=215, 217–218, 254–255, 300}}  

By mid-1962, Wilson was writing with disc jockey [[Roger Christian (songwriter)|Roger Christian]],{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=24}} whom he met via Murry or Usher,{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=199}} and with guitarist [[Bob Norberg (songwriter)|Bob Norberg]], who later became his roommate.{{sfn|Murphy|2015|pp=216–218}} In October 1962, Safari Records—a short-lived label founded by Murry{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=243}}—released the single "[[The Surfer Moon]]" by [[Bob & Sheri (band)|Bob & Sheri]], the first record to credit Brian as producer.{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=26}}{{sfn|Murphy|2015|pp=228, 243}} The label's only other release was Bob & Sheri's "Humpty Dumpty",{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=27}} with both songs written by Wilson.{{sfn|White|1996|p=161}}

[[File:The WIlson Brothers 1962.jpg|thumb|left|Wilson (top) with his brothers [[Carl Wilson|Carl]] (middle) and [[Dennis Wilson|Dennis]] (bottom) at a Beach Boys photoshoot, early 1963{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=271}}]]

From January to March 1963, Wilson produced the Beach Boys' second album, ''[[Surfin' U.S.A. (album)|Surfin' U.S.A.]]'', limiting his public appearances with the group to television gigs and local shows to prioritize studio work.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=32–34}} [[David Marks (musician)|David Marks]] substituted for him on vocals during other performances.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=34}} In March, Capitol released  "[[Surfin' U.S.A. (song)|Surfin' U.S.A.]]", the Beach Boys' first top-ten single.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=32}} The accompanying album peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' charts by July, cementing the Beach Boys as a major commercial act.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=40}}

Against Venet's wishes, Wilson collaborated with artists outside Capitol, including the [[Liberty Records]] duo [[Jan and Dean]].{{sfn|White|1996|p=172}} Wilson co-wrote "[[Surf City (song)|Surf City]]" with [[Jan Berry]], which topped U.S. charts in July 1963, his first composition to do so.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=34, 37, 39}} The song's success revitalized Jan and Dean's faltering career.{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=322}} Capitol and Wilson's father disapproved of the collaboration; Murry demanded his son cease working with the duo, though they continued to appear on each other's recordings.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=34, 37, 39}}

Around this time, Wilson began producing [[the Honeys|the Rovell Sisters]], a girl group consisting of sisters [[Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford|Marilyn]] and Diane Rovell and their cousin Ginger Blake, whom he met at a Beach Boys concert the previous August.{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=275}} Wilson pitched the group to Capitol as "the Honeys", a female counterpart to the Beach Boys. The company released several Honeys records as singles, though they sold poorly.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=98–99}} He grew close to the Rovell family and resided primarily at their home through 1963 and 1964.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=99, 119}} The group's fourth single "[[He's a Doll]]", released in April 1964,{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=52}} exemplified his attempts to become an entrepreneurial producer like Spector.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=149}}

Wilson was first officially credited as the Beach Boys' producer on their album ''[[Surfer Girl]]'', recorded in June and July 1963 and released that September.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=37–41}} This LP reached number seven on the national charts, with similarly successful singles.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=40–41}} He also produced the car-themed album ''[[Little Deuce Coupe]]'', released just three weeks after ''Surfer Girl''.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=39–42}} Still resistant to touring, Jardine was his live substitute. By late 1963, Marks' departure necessitated Wilson's return to the touring lineup.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=39–42}}{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=315}} By the end of the year, Wilson had written, arranged, or produced 42 songs for other acts.{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=322}}{{refn|group=nb|This includes records by the Honeys, Jan and Dean, the Survivors, Sharon Marie, the Timers, the Castells ("[[I Do (The Castells song)|I Do]]"), Bob Norberg, Vickie Kocher, Gary Usher, Christian, [[Paul Petersen]] ("She Rides with Me"), and Larry Denton ("[[Endless Sleep]]").{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=322}} He also founded Brian Wilson Productions, a record production company with offices on Sunset Boulevard, and Ocean Music, a publishing entity for his work with artists outside the Beach Boys.{{sfn|Murphy|2015|p=318}}}}

===International success and Houston flight incident===
[[File:Brian Wilson (1965) (cropped).png|thumb|upright|left|Wilson at a Beach Boys photoshoot, 1964]]
Throughout 1964, Wilson toured internationally with the Beach Boys while writing and producing their albums ''[[Shut Down Volume 2]]'' (March), ''[[All Summer Long (album)|All Summer Long]]'' (June), and ''[[The Beach Boys' Christmas Album]]'' (November).{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=46–72}} Following a particularly stressful Australasian tour in early 1964, the group dismissed Murry as their manager.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=51}} Murry maintained occasional contact with Wilson, offering unsolicited advice on the group's business decisions.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=113}} Wilson also continued to solicit his father's opinions on musical matters.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=54}}

In February, [[Beatlemania]] swept the U.S., a development that deeply concerned Wilson, who felt the Beach Boys' supremacy had been threatened by the [[British Invasion]].{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=51–52}}{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=114}} Reflecting in 1966, he said, "[[The Beatles]] invasion shook me up a lot. [...] So we stepped on the gas a little bit."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=52}} The Beach Boys' May 1964 single "[[I Get Around]]", their first U.S. number-one hit, is identified by scholar James Perone as representing both a successful response to the British Invasion and the beginning of an unofficial rivalry between Wilson and the Beatles, principally [[Paul McCartney]].{{sfn|Perone|2015|pp=42, 47}} The B-side, "[[Don't Worry Baby]]", was cited by Wilson in a 1970 interview as "Probably the best record we've done".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=273}}

By late 1964, Wilson faced mounting psychological strain from career pressures.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=63, 73–74}} He began distancing himself from the Beach Boys' surf-themed material, which had ceased following the ''All Summer Long'' track "[[Don't Back Down]]".{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=51}} During the group's first major European tour, a reporter asked how he had felt about originating the surfing sound, to which he responded by saying he had aimed to "produce a sound that teens dig, and that can be applied to any theme."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=71}} Exhausted by his self-described "Mr Everything" role, he later expressed feeling mentally drained and unable to rest.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=74}} Adding to his concerns was the group's "business operations" and the quality of their records, which he believed suffered from this arrangement.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=77}}

[[File:The Beach Boys TV (cropped Brian).jpg|thumb|right|Wilson performing "[[Dance, Dance, Dance (The Beach Boys song)|Dance, Dance, Dance]]" with the Beach Boys at [[NBC]] TV studio, December 18, 1964{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=75–77}}]]

On December 23, 1964, Wilson was to accompany his bandmates for a two-week U.S. tour, but during a flight from Los Angeles to Houston, he experienced a breakdown, sobbing uncontrollably due to stress over his recent marriage to Marilyn Rovell.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=75}}{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=127}} Jardine recalled, "None of us had ever witnessed something like that."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=75}} Wilson played the show in Houston later that day, but was replaced by session musician [[Glen Campbell]] for the rest of the tour.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=75, 77}}{{refn|group=nb|This was the first time Wilson had skipped concert dates with the Beach Boys since 1963.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=77}} Although he continued to make sporadic appearances at gigs, the Houston show marked his last as a regular member of the touring group until 1976.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=75}}}} Wilson, speaking in 1966, described it as "the first of a series of three breakdowns".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=77}} When the group resumed recording their next album in January 1965, Wilson declared that he would be withdrawing from future tours.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=59}}{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=83}} Wilson attributed his decision partly to a "fucked up" jealousy of Spector and the Beatles.{{sfn|Love|2016|p=107}}{{refn|group=nb|Songwriters [[Barry Mann]] and [[Cynthia Weil]] recalled that Wilson had confided in them about considering retirement from the music industry, changing his mind after hearing Spector's latest hit record, "[[You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin']]."{{sfn|Jackson|2015|p=40}}<!--- Original source: <ref name="yl">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303343404577519042622092010 |title=The Song That Conquered Radio |work=The Wall Street Journal |first=Marc|last=Myers|date=July 12, 2012 }}</ref>---> In an interview from August 1966, Wilson states, "I never wanted to quit the music business. I just wanted to get off the road, which I did."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Moses |first1=Ann |title=? Time with Beach Boy Brian Wilson |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/question-time-with-beach-boy-brian-wilson |magazine=[[NME]] |date=August 5, 1966 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Photographer Ed Roach said that Brian had felt overshadowed by the audience's enthusiastic response to his brother Dennis during live performances.{{sfn|Stebbins|2000|p=55}}}}

Campbell continued substituting for Wilson on tour until February 1965, after which Wilson produced Campbell's solo single, "[[Guess I'm Dumb]]", as a gesture of appreciation. [[Columbia Records]] staff producer [[Bruce Johnston]] was subsequently hired as Wilson's permanent touring replacement.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=83, 86, 89}}{{refn|group=nb|Wilson rejoined the live group for one-off occasions in February, March, July, and October 1965.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=84, 86, 102}}}}

===Growing drug use and religious epiphany===
With his bandmates frequently touring, Wilson grew socially distant from the Beach Boys.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=125, 147, 158}} In late 1964, he had relocated to an apartment at 7235 [[Hollywood Boulevard]], where he began cultivating a new social circle through music industry connections.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=119, 124}} Biographer [[Steven Gaines]] writes that this period marked Wilson's first independence from familial oversight, allowing friendships without "parental interference."{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=124}} Wilson befriended talent agent [[Loren Schwartz]], whom he met at a Hollywood studio.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=124}} Through Schwartz, Wilson engaged with literature on philosophy and world religions, sparking his interest in mystical topics.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=125}}{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=64–65}} Schwartz also introduced Wilson to [[marijuana]] and [[hashish]]; his habitual use of these substances, combined with his frequent visits to Schwartz's apartment, contributed to marital tensions with his wife Marilyn.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=125–126}} His first song composed under the influence of marijuana was "[[Please Let Me Wonder]]" (1965).{{sfn|Wilson|Greenman|2016|pp=88, 191}}

{{Quote box
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|quote= [In 1965] I had what I consider to be a very [[religious experience]]. I took [[LSD]], a full dose of LSD, and later, another time, I took a smaller dose. And I learned a lot of things, like patience, understanding. I can't teach you, or tell you what I learned from taking it.
|source=—Brian Wilson, 1966{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=136}}{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=33}}
|width = 25%
}}

Throughout 1965, Wilson's musical ambitions progressed significantly with the albums ''[[The Beach Boys Today!]]'' (March) and ''[[Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)]]'' (June).{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=59–61, 66–67}} Weeks after relocating to an apartment on [[West Hollywood]]'s Gardner Street with his wife early in the year, Wilson took [[LSD]] for the first time under Schwartz's supervision..{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=133}} Wilson later said of the experience, "it just tore my head off. [...] You just come to grips with what you are, what you can do [and] can't do, and learn to face it."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=77}} During the experience, he composed portions of the Beach Boys' single "[[California Girls]]".<ref name="Boucher2007">{{cite news |last=Boucher |first=Geoff |title='California Girls' The Beach Boys – 1965 |pages=F–4 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 12, 2007 |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-ca-socalsong12aug12-story.html |access-date=August 17, 2008}}</ref> He later described the session for the song's backing track, held on April 6, as his "favorite", and the opening orchestral section as "the greatest piece of music that I've ever written."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=89}} However, he attributed persistent paranoia later that year to his LSD use.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=48}}

[[File:From The Hills (246346499).jpeg|thumb|A view of Los Angeles from [[Beverly Hills]], where Wilson took residence in late 1965]]
After unsuccessful efforts to distance Wilson from Schwartz, Marilyn temporarily separated from him.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=89}}{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=134–135}} She later reflected on the strain caused by his drug-associated social circle, stating, "He was not the same Brian... These people were very hurtful, and I tried to get that through to Brian."{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=134}} The couple soon reconciled,{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=135}} and, in late 1965, moved into a newly purchased home at 1448 Laurel Way in [[Beverly Hills]].{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=101}}{{refn|group=nb|Sources differ on the move-in date: White cites December,{{sfn|White|1996|p=248}} while Badman specifies October.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=101}} }}

===''Pet Sounds'' and ''Smile''===
Wilson recalled that after relocating to his Beverly Hills home, he experienced an unexpected surge of creativity, working for hours to develop new musical ideas. He acknowledged heavy drug use, stating, "I was taking [...] a lot of pills, and it fouled me up for a while. It got me really introspective".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}} Over five months, he planned an album that would elevate his music to "a spiritual level".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}}

[[File:Pet Sounds Mixing.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Wilson with engineer [[Chuck Britz]] recording ''[[Pet Sounds]]'', early 1966]]

In December 1965, Wilson enlisted jingle writer [[Tony Asher]] as his lyricist for the Beach Boys' next album, ''Pet Sounds'' (May 1966).{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=104}} He produced most of the album between January and April 1966 across multiple Hollywood studios, mainly employing his bandmates for singing vocal parts and session musicians for the backing tracks.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=108}} Reflecting on the album, Wilson highlighted the instrumental "[[Let's Go Away for Awhile]]" as his "most satisfying piece of music" at the time and "[[I Just Wasn't Made for These Times]]" as a partially autobiographical song "about a guy who was crying because he thought he was too advanced".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=111}}{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=108}} In a 1995 interview, he called "[[Caroline, No]]" "probably the best [song] I've ever written."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=108}}

{{Quote box
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|quote= The thing that I remember the most is that when ''Pet Sounds'' wasn't as quickly a hit or as huge or an immediate success, it really destroyed Brian.  He just lost a lot of faith in people and music.
|source=—Wilson's first wife [[Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford|Marilyn]]<ref name="Marilyn1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=The Observers: Marilyn Wilson |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=[[The Beach Boys]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[Capitol Records]] |type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Marilyn_Wilson_Comments.html}}</ref>
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The album's lead single, "Caroline, No", released in March 1966, became Wilson's first solo credit,{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=121}} sparking speculation about his potential departure from the Beach Boys.{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=23}} Wilson later said, "I explained to [the group], 'It's OK. It is only a temporary rift […] I wanted to step out a little bit.'"{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=121}} The single peaked at number 32, while ''Pet Sounds'' reached number 10.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=121, 134}} Wilson was "mortified" that his artistic growth had failed to translate into a number-one album.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}} Marilyn stated, "When it wasn't received by the public the way he thought it would be received, it made him hold back. ... but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He needed to create more."<ref name="Marilyn1997"/>

Wilson met [[Derek Taylor]], the Beatles' former press officer, who became the Beach Boys' publicist in 1966. At Wilson's request, Taylor launched a media campaign to elevate his public image, [[Brian Wilson is a genius|promoting him as a "genius"]].{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|pp=91–93}}{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=27}} Taylor's reputation and outreach bolstered the album's critical success in the UK.{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|pp=91–93}}{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=27}}{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=152}} However, Wilson later expressed resentment toward the "genius" label, which he felt heightened unrealistic expectations for his work.<ref name="MF1976">{{cite magazine|title=The Beach Boys|magazine=Music Favorites|volume=1|issue=2|date=1976}}</ref><ref name="Harrington91" /> Bandmates including Mike Love and Carl Wilson also grew frustrated as media coverage increasingly centered on Wilson, overshadowing the group's collaborative efforts.{{sfn|Love|2016|pp=145–147}}

[[File:Brian Wilson,1960s.jpg|thumb|Wilson in late 1966]]

Through late 1966, Wilson worked extensively on the Beach Boys' single "[[Good Vibrations]]", which topped the U.S. charts in December, and began collaborating with session musician [[Van Dyke Parks]] on ''[[Smile (The Beach Boys album)|Smile]]'', the  planned follow-up to ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=131}} Wilson touted ''Smile'' as a "teenage symphony to God"{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=204}} and his expanding circle increasingly influenced his business and creative affairs.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|pp=147, 158}} Parks said that, eventually, "it wasn't just Brian and me in a room; it was Brian and me ... and all kinds of self-interested people pulling him in various directions."{{sfn|Priore|2005|p=117}}  Television producer [[David Oppenheim (clarinetist)|David Oppenheim]], who visited Wilson's home while filming the 1967 documentary ''[[Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution]]'', characterized the attended scenes as "a playpen of irresponsible people."{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=171}}