The Beach Boys’ Mike Love Said He Was ‘Glad’ Murry Wilson Wasn’t His Father
The Beach Boys featured brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, as well as their cousin Mike Love and their friend Al Jardine. For some time the Wilson brothers’ father acted as the band manager, even though he didn’t have a great relationship with the musicians. Here’s what Love said about Murry Wilson.
Murry Wilson functioned as the Beach Boys’ manager
According to Album Liner Notes, Murray Wilson loved music since childhood, even teaching himself to play guitar. He instilled this passion for music in his three sons — Brian, Carl, and Dennis. Each became a founding member of the Beach Boys, with Murry Wilson acting as the band’s manager.
The Beach Boys became one of the most popular bands of the early 1960s, releasing songs like “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and “God Only Knows.” However, in 1965, after being “overbearing” and “disruptive” during recording sessions, Murry Wilson was officially dismissed as the Beach Boys’ manager.
Mike Love described Murry Wilson as a ‘prick’ — ‘I’m so glad he wasn’t my father’
Outside of music, Murry had a tumultuous relationship with his sons. In I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir, the songwriter described being hit and yelled at by his father throughout childhood. Even other members of the Beach Boys commented on Murry Wilson’s abusive tendencies.
“Murry was a prick,” Love said in a 1992 interview with Goldmine. “He was awful. I’m so glad he wasn’t my father. He definitely did some damage… Very abusive and gruff and terrifying and intimidating and negative. Stuff like, ‘You guys don’t know what you’re doing.’ Those kind of remarks. Very unsupportive.”
“However, he was an aspiring songwriter and he knew that there was a value to songs,” he added. “I didn’t even know what publishing was when we started out. I wasn’t from a show business background.”
After being fired as the Beach Boys’ manager, Murry Wilson wrote a note to his sons, explaining his wife’s fault in raising the three musicians. Murry Wilson died in 1973 of a heart attack.
Murry Wilson helped promote music by the Beach Boys
Before he was dismissed as the Beach Boys’ manager, Murry Wilson helped market the Beach Boys, also joining them on tour.
“He was very good at promoting, getting radio stations to play our records,” Love added in the same interview. “He was very smart and clever about it. He would have us go out and do hops and events where a DJ would make a couple hundred bucks and we would make a couple hundred bucks.”
Love added that thanks to Murry Wilson’s direction, the band had a “real good foundation” for the rest of their career.
The Beach Boys continued to perform music. Recently, Brian Wilson toured alongside Jardine while Love hosted concerts under the band name. Music by the Beach Boys is available on most major streaming platforms.
