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Dennis Wilson

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Dennis Wilson


Dennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys. He was a member of the group from its formation until his death in 1983, though in keeping with recording studio practices of the time uncredited session musicians would be used.

Compared to his bandmates, which included his brothers Brian and Carl, and his cousin Mike Love, Dennis sang infrequently, often not singing backup vocals at live performances, though he did so in the studio. His prominence in the group increased as their careers went on, sometimes singing lead, and writing towards and into the 1970s.

Biography

The Beach Boys

Born in Inglewood, California, Dennis was the second oldest of the three Wilson brothers. Their mother, Audree, forced Brian to include Dennis in the earliest lineup of the Beach Boys. Urged by older cousin Mike Love, Dennis had approached Brian, the most outwardly talented family member, to form a group and compose a song about surfing. The Beach Boys formed in August 1961 under the guidance of father Murry Wilson, meeting immediate success. Though the Beach Boys were named for and developed an image based on the California surfing culture, Dennis was the only real surfer in the band.

During the first few years of The Beach Boys, Dennis was given the role of the drummer. Dennis had little musical experience at the outset but quickly learned to play the drums. Although he rarely sang on stage his rough vocals were a key ingredient to the group's vocal blend in the studio.

Though given few important lead vocals on the early Beach Boys recordings ("Little Girl (You're My Miss America)" and "This Car of Mine" as well as the bridge verse on "Girls On The Beach") he sang lead on "Do You Wanna Dance?" in February 1965, then later that year on Beach Boys' Party!, sang a rendition of The Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away". He accompanied himself on guitar, and like the other Beach Boys became a multi-instrumentalist. His piano playing in particular was showcased on his Pacific Ocean Blue album.

Dennis Wilson's first major released composition was "Little Bird," the B-side of the "Friends" single, though he had already helped Brian write a few other songs dating back to 1963.

Dennis had further compositions featured on later Beach Boys albums such as 20/20 (1969), Sunflower (1970), Carl and the Passions - "So Tough" (1972), Holland (1973) as well as others. Sunflower included the track "Forever". Not only popular with fans, it also earned him some much sought praise from brother Brian and father Murry. The album included three other songs written by Dennis which were not originally recorded for the album.

The 1973 live album The Beach Boys In Concert features Dennis alone on the album cover, but none of his songs was included in the lineup.

During the three-year recording hiatus following Holland, Dennis's voice deteriorated markedly. By then his onstage antics (including streaking) occasionally disrupted the Beach Boys' live shows.

In 1974, concurrent with the success of the '60s hits compilation Endless Summer, Dennis returned to his role behind the drums, and the group became more and more of a nostalgia act.

Charles Manson

In 1968, Dennis Wilson was driving through Malibu when he noticed two female hitchhikers. He picked them up and dropped them off at their destination[1]. Later on, Dennis noticed the same two girls hitchhiking again. This time, he took them to his home at 14400 Sunset Boulevard, near Will Rogers Park. Dennis then went to a recording session. When he returned at around three o'clock in the morning, he was met in his driveway by a stranger, Charles Manson. When he walked into his home, there were about a dozen people occupying the premises, most of them female. Dennis became fascinated by Manson and his followers, and the "Manson Family" lived with Dennis for a period of time afterwards, at Dennis's expense.

Initially impressed by Manson's songwriting talent, Dennis introduced him to a few friends in the music business, including Terry Melcher, whose home on Cielo Drive would later be rented by director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate; Tate and several others would later be murdered at the home by Manson Family members. Recording sessions for Manson were held at Brian Wilson's home studio; those recordings, if existent, have never been released. The Beach Boys released a Manson song, originally titled "Cease To Exist", but reworked as "Never Learn Not To Love", as a single B-side.

As Dennis became increasingly aware of Manson's volatile nature and growing tendency to violence, he finally made a break from the friendship by simply moving out of the house, and leaving Manson there. When Manson subsequently sought further contact (and money), he left a bullet with Dennis' housekeeper to be delivered with a cryptic message, which was perceived by Dennis as a threat.

In August 1969 the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders occurred. He rarely discussed his involvement with the Manson Family and he usually became upset when the subject was broached. He was upset in regards to Charles Manson and his 'family' and did mention that he felt it was his 'fault' for introducing him to the music world.

Movie Role

Dennis Wilson starred alongside James Taylor and Warren Oates in the critically acclaimed film Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) as "The Mechanic". It depicts "The Driver" (Taylor) and "The Mechanic" driving aimlessly across the United States in their '55 Chevy surviving on money made by street drag-racing.

Solo career

In 1969 Dennis Wilson released his first piece of solo material, a little-known single released under the name "Dennis Wilson & Rumbo." The single featured "Sound of Free" on the A-side with "Lady" (also known as "Fallin' In Love") on the B-side. The song was later covered by American Spring and released as the B-side to their single "Shyin' Away."

Pacific Ocean Blue

Wilson released his debut solo album Pacific Ocean Blue in 1977. His collaborators on the album included Daryl Dragon (the 'Captain' of Captain & Tennille) and Manson-era confederate Gregg Jakobson. The album peaked at #96 in the US and sold around 300,000 copies, matching that year's Beach Boys album Love You. Dates were booked for a Dennis Wilson solo tour but these were ultimately cancelled, possibly due to internal politics - however Wilson did occasionally perform his solo material on the 1977 Beach Boys tour.[2] Despite Wilson himself claiming the album had "no substance"[3], Pacific Ocean Blue performed well critically and continues to maintain a cult following. The album was out of print and difficult to obtain for more than a decade, but has been reissued as of June 2008. [4]

Bambu

Pacific Ocean Blue's follow-up, Bambu, was initially scuttled by lack of financing and the distractions of simultaneous Beach Boys projects. A sampling of its music was officially released in 2008 as bonus material with the Pacific Ocean Blue reissue.

Two songs from the Bambu sessions - "Love Surrounds Me" and "Baby Blue" - were lifted for the Beach Boys 1979 L.A. (Light Album). Wilson and brother Brian also recorded together apart from the Beach Boys in 1980 and 1981. These sessions remain unreleased though widely bootlegged.

Christine McVie

Dennis was also romantically involved with Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie.

He surprised McVie once by having a beautiful heart-shaped garden planted in her backyard; she later learned that he'd charged it to her. Wilson crashed Christine's Rolls Royce so many times that finally the vehicle had to be written off. He would storm through her house in a drunken rage, breaking things, before leaving for a few weeks to get himself together, at which point the two would reconcile yet again. Needless to say, Christine soon tired of this and called an end to the relationship. The couple did not part on amicable terms and had not seen each other for about two years when she received news of his death; "My secretary called me up at eight in the morning. I knew something was wrong.

In 1982, Fleetwood Mac released a single, "Wish You Were Here" written by McVie, which was partly about Dennis's relationship to her. Lindsey Buckingham also wrote a song inspired by Dennis on his Go Insane solo album titled "DW Suite".

Death

Succeeding years saw Dennis Wilson's alcohol abuse problem worsen.[clarification needed] On December 28, 1983, shortly after his 39th birthday, Wilson drowned at Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles. He left behind a young wife, Shawn Love and their young son, Gage Dennis Wilson (born January 1983). He had been previously married four times: to Carole Freedman (with whom he had a daughter, Jennifer (born December 21, 1966) and whose son, Scott, he adopted); to Barbara Charren (with whom he had two sons, Michael (born February 19, 1971) and Carl (born December 31, 1972); and (twice) to Karen Lamm, the ex-wife of Robert Lamm. Dennis also had two sons, Chris and Ryan born out of wedlock. On January 4, 1984 he was buried at sea off the California coast by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Personality

Dennis himself quoted in the sleeve notes in the album All Summer Long:

They say I live a fast life. Maybe I just like a fast life. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. It won’t last forever, either. But the memories will.

Solo discography

Albums

Singles

See also

References

  1. ^ Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, pg. 338, published March 1975
  2. ^ Local Gentry :: Dennis Wilson solo recordings
  3. ^ Dennis Wilson Interview, 1977
  4. ^ Wilson's 'Ocean' Set For Expanded Reissue

Further reading

  • Adam Webb, Dumb Angel: the life and music of Dennis Wilson. Creation Books, 2001. ISBN 1-84068-051-2
  • Jon Stebbins, Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy. ECW Press, 2000. ISBN 1-55022-404-2
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