Dennis Wilson

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.

Beach Boys

Early career

Born in Inglewood, California, Wilson 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. In 1976, he described his love for the beach: “I don’t know why everybody doesn’t live at the beach, on the ocean. It makes no sense to me, hanging around the dirty city. That’s why I always loved and was proud to be a Beach Boy; I always loved the image. On the beach you can live in bliss.”

During the first few years of The Beach Boys, Dennis was given the role of the drummer. His freedom to express himself was limited to playing the drums, as his voice was not as clear and was not regarded as being as ‘angelic’ as his two brothers, Brian and Carl. Because of this, Dennis was not recognized at first for the talent he had and that he went on to show in future recordings. Dennis had little musical experience at the outset but quickly learned to play the drums. However, he gained little respect musically due to Brian's reliance as producer on session drummers, particularly Hal Blaine, although contrary to popular belief, Wilson did drum on many of the group's '60s recordings. Likewise, although he rarely sang on stage, his rough-hewn vocals were a key ingredient to the group's vocal blend in the studio. Despite his lower artistic profile, Wilson became far and away the most popular member of the group, becoming its box-office sex symbol, and his emerging musical talent took a back seat. He developed a personal musical style and taste divergent from the Beach Boys' known style: soulful, even bluesy, compared with the group's famous high harmonies.

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 impressed on "Do You Wanna Dance?" in February 1965, then later that year on Beach Boys' Party! gave an authoritative 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, developed into a distinctive style and was showcased on his Pacific Ocean Blue album.

Even though Wilson had managed to taste some success from his recordings off albums such as Friends, 20/20 and Sunflower, his music was still very much under rated and under promoted. With the release of Pacific Ocean Blue, Dennis proved that he was not just a drummer, but that he could write lyrics and music, produce as well as performing the album tracks. Despite this, Dennis knew that Brian was still the main man in The Beach Boys: “Brian Wilson is The Beach Boys. He is the band. We’re his messengers. He is all of it. Period. We’re nothing. He’s everything.”

Growing Influence

From 1968, Dennis became The Beach Boys' second most important composer. His major composing debut was "Little Bird," the flip side of "Friends", though he had helped Brian write a few songs dating back to 1963.

Dennis had further composing triumphs 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 but interestingly they were not meant to be on the album. As Stephen Desper states in Adam Webb's book Dumb Angel:

Although Dennis prior to [the release of Sunflower] had worked independently and recorded a whole bunch of songs, he selected a number that he wanted to submit to the Beach Boys to see if they would include them on Sunflower. At the time Sunflower was due and first submitted to Warner Brothers...it was rejected and Warner Brothers felt that the Beach Boys' effort was not up to par so they sent them back to the studio for a few months to get new songs recorded before they'd even consider the album. Dennis had a lot of these [his] songs in the can already almost finished. So they started considering more and more of these songs because they were almost ready and they could get this album out and get some income.

From mid-1971 to late 1974, Dennis was prevented from drumming by a hand injury and at live concerts assumed frontman duties with Mike Love (exacerbating, according to bandmate Al Jardine, the already considerable tension between them). The 1973 Beach Boys In Concert LP features Dennis alone on the front cover -- but none of his songs, which were highlights of the band's early '70s shows, was included.

During the three year recording hiatus following Holland, Dennis's voice deteriorated markedly (some claim from an injury sustained in a 1974 fight, others from alcohol use). By then his onstage antics (including streaking) occasionally disrupted the Beach Boys' live shows, but the era is generally considered to be his prime.

In 1974, concurrent with the success of the '60s hits compilation Endless Summer Dennis reassumed his role behind the drums, and the group -- much to Dennis' chagrin -- became more and more of an oldies act. The artistic progress shown by Dennis and younger brother Carl was discarded in favor of a nostalgic image of "America's Band."

A late fan favorite comes from L.A. (Light Album) with "Baby Blue," a song on which he shared lead vocals with Carl, and intended for the unfinished Bambu project.

Personality

Wilson has been described by many to be hyperactive and rebellious, someone who always looked for something to fill his life with happiness. 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.

In an interview with Keith Altham after being asked “… is there anything that frightens you?” Dennis responded “Fear is nothing but awareness. I was only frightened as a child because I did not understand fear – the dark, being lost, what was under the bed! It came from within." Wilson has also been described as a generous and loving man, who could satisfy himself by giving love but could never be satisfied in receiving love. He once said,

I give everything I have away. What I am wearing and what’s in that suitcase is it. I don’t even have a car. I have a 1934 Dodge pick-up truck which someone gave me. I could have anything I want. I just have to go out and get it. If it’s worth having, it’s worth giving. The smile you send out will return to you!

Stephen Kalinich, in an interview with Adam Webb, stated that "He had soul in his music and he was a master. And yet a primitive master in the sense that he may not have heard all of Beethoven or Bach but he had a feeling of combining the pain and the joy together." He remained honest throughout his songs, which he sung in a soulful croon. Dennis never felt loved and it was something that he always sought. This can clearly be seen in his song "Time" from his 1977 solo album Pacific Ocean Blue where the lyrics state "Known a lot of women, but they don't fill my heart; with love completely..." Dennis once stated “The greatest success in life is to feel I’m something for someone; the feeling of falling in love, the newness of love.” Many of Dennis’ songs are expressed not only with great passion but also with great sorrow, and it is only in his music as Dennis describes that people can gain a true understanding of the person he was. "Everything that I am or will ever be is in the music. If you want to know me, just listen."

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. Later on, Dennis noticed the same two girls hitchhiking. 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 his great expense.

Initially impressed by Manson's songwriting talent, Dennis introduced him to a few friends in the music business, including Terry Melcher, whose rented home on Cielo Drive would later be occupied by director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate, with tragic consequences. Recording sessions for Manson were held at Brian Wilson's home studio; those recordings, if extant, have never been released, and will likely remain so. 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. The song, credited only to Dennis, was said to have been purchased from Manson.

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. 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 of 1969 the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders occurred. The trauma of his prior association with the killers affected Dennis for his remaining 14 years. He rarely discussed his involvement with the Manson 'Family' and he usually became upset when the subject was broached. (The "Fear is nothing but awareness" quote above was influenced by Manson, and was from a pre-murders magazine article in which Dennis lauded him as "the Wizard.") In one interview, however, he brought it up: "I guess it's time to talk about it. You see, when I knew Manson it was no big thing. We were friends; we lived together. That was long before the murders. And we'd talk every night, just like you and me. We'd really talk about important things." The interviewer asked, "Do you know why Manson organized those murders?" and Dennis responded, "I know why Charles Manson did what he did. Someday, I'll tell the world. I'll write a book and explain why he did it. Over the years, people have always wanted to know what happened, what my relationship with Charlie was. We were just friends."

Dennis added: "I didn't testify at the trial. I couldn't. I was so scared. You know, the writers really raked me over the coals for not testifying." Dennis was particularly worried about the safety of his son, Scott.

Movie Role

He starred alongside James Taylor and Warren Oates in the critically acclaimed film Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) as "The Mechanic". The film is often discussed alongside other anti-Western Existentialist road movies of the era, such as Easy Rider and Vanishing Point. It depicts "The Driver" (Taylor) and "The Mechanic" driving aimlessly across the United States in their '55 Chevy surviving through money made street drag racing.

Solo career

In 1969, Dennis Wilson released his first piece of solo material. A little known single released under the artist title of '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. Despite Wilson himself claiming the album had "no substance", 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. .

Bambu

The first solo album's follow-up, Bambu, was initially scuttled by lack of finance 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.

Bambu was long believed to be titled Bamboo - however, a recent press release from Caribou Records ahead of the re-release of Pacific Ocean Blue states that the correct spelling was Bambu after the brand of rolling papers.

Dennis claimed in a September 1977 interview that his second solo album was much better than his first album. He was quoted as saying: “The next album is a hundred times what Pacific Ocean Blue is. It kicks. It’s different in a way. I think I have more confidence now that I’ve completed one project, and I’m moving on to another”

Christine McVie

Dennis was also romantically involved with Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie. His relationships with women tended to be passionate and tumultuous; he had just divorced his third wife for a second time before he and Christine fell wildly for each other in 1979 while Fleetwood Mac was making the Tusk album.

Christine referred to the drummer as "a multifaceted jewel...Dennis has thrown me into the deep end, literally and figuratively." For two years, the couple more or less commuted between Wilson's ketch at Marina del Rey and Christine's house in Coldwater Canyon-- they had even made 'definite' plans to marry. Although he was adored by Christine as well as other members of Fleetwood Mac (Dennis and John McVie even used to have drinking contests after Mac gigs), the Beach Boy eventually proved to be too eccentric for Chris to handle. Lindsey Buckingham recalls, "I knew him pretty well. . . . he was a good guy. He was kind of lost, but I thought he had a big heart. I always liked him. He was crazy just like a lot of other people, but he had a really big heart, and he was the closest thing to Brian (Wilson) there was, too. He was halfway there."

Mick Fleetwood, who had introduced the pair, wrote that Chris "almost went mad trying to keep up with Dennis, who was already like a man with twenty thyroid glands, not counting the gargantuan amounts of coke and booze and pills he was always shoving into himself." 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 amiable 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. She said, 'Dennis drowned today.' And my first reaction was to say, 'My God, is he all right?' I still really can't believe it. He just seemed indestructible."

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 entitled "DW Suite".

Death

Succeeding years saw his alcohol abuse problem worsen and he possibly became disillusioned by others' neglect of his talent (though he had always shown a blatant disregard for his own physical safety), he continued to record solo intermittently, but never released any more material. Thus, the "other" Beach Boy who has been called genius by some was unfulfilled creatively at the time of his death by alcohol-related drowning at Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles, on December 28, 1983, just after his 39th birthday. On the day of his death in 1983, Wilson was quoted as saying "I'm lonesome. I'm lonesome all the time."

Fred Vail, a close friend of Dennis, said that his premature death was most likely inevitable: “I knew that Denny wasn’t the type of guy who would live to be an old man. It just wasn’t in the general scheme of things. He was just constantly challenging the boundaries.”

He left behind a young wife, Shawn Love, the alleged illegitimate daughter of his cousin Mike Love, and their young son, Gage Dennis Wilson (born 1982). He had been previously married four times, to Carole Freedman (with whom he had a daughter, Jennifer and whose son, Scott, he adopted) to Barbara Charren (with whom he had two sons, Michael and Carl) and (twice) to Karen Lamm, the ex-wife of Robert Lamm. (Dennis had another son, Chris, born out of wedlock.) On January 4 1984 he was buried at sea off the California coast.

Portland band Dolorean's song "33-53.9° N/118-38.8° W" of their You Can't Win album is an instrumental track, with its title referring to the coordinates where Dennis was buried at sea.

Discography

Albums

• Pacific Ocean Blue (1977)

Singles

• "Sound of Free"/"Lady" (1970) (as Dennis Wilson & Rumbo)
• "River Song"/"Farewell My Friend" (1977)
• "You and I"/"Friday Night" (1977)

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

See also

• The Beach Boys
• List of Beach Boys songs by singer - Dennis Wilson
• List of songs by Dennis Wilson
• Beach Boys Historic Landmark

External links

• The Beach Boys
• Dennis Wilson 'Forever' Fan Site
• Dennis Wilson 'Dreamer' Fan Site
• "Sea of Heartbreak: Dennis Wilson's Majestic Solo Work," Pop Matters, 2007; by Tony Sclafani