Why The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson ‘Loved’ Watching His Father Play Piano
Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson appeared in the Beach Boys — but sometimes watched their father play piano while growing up. Here’s what Brian Wilson said of Murry Wilson in his memoir.
The Beach Boys had their father Murry Wilson as their manager (until he was fired)
The Beach Boys aren’t known as a family band, although there were several family members connected to the surf rock group. The original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.
Jardine’s mother helped finance their instruments in the beginning — and the Wilsons’ father, Murry, acted as the band manager for some time. However, after being “overbearing” and “disruptive” during recording sessions, he was officially dismissed.
This wasn’t the beginning of Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson’s tumultuous relationship with their father, as all three (and Love) often described him as abusive. Love even said he was “glad” Murry Wilson wasn’t his father.
In his memoir, Brian Wilson described getting hit by his father with open and closed hands. To scare the boys, Murry Wilson would sometimes take out his glass eye and make them look at where his eye used to be.
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys still liked watching his father play piano
The former band manager died in 1973 of a heart attack, but not before writing a letter regarding his relationship with Brian, Carl, and Dennis. However, there were some musical moments that stuck with Brian Wilson, particularly those with his father.
“My dad had a company that sold lathes, but he also loved music,” Wilson wrote in I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. “Just like I sang with my brothers, he sang with my mother. He played piano and she played organ.”
“When he was on the piano he was always in a good mood,” the Beach Boy continued. “That’s why we loved watching them sing and play together. My father didn’t only play other people’s songs. He also wrote songs of his own.”
It was this childhood connection to music that lead to the formation of the band. Mike Love even explained his mother taught him about the music community from hosting Glee Club rehearsals at their family home.
Brian Wilson wrote ‘I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man’ about his father
For Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), Brian Wilson wrote “I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man” — an honest track inspired by his relationship with his parent. As noted in the same memoir, it wasn’t well-received by critics.
“I wasn’t trying to be complicated,” Wilson added. “I was trying to say that my dad was bugging me… On the back of the record, where we listed who sang and played on all the songs, the vocals for ‘I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man’ were created to ‘too embarrassed.’ That’s how direct it was.”
