Wilson’s Story

After declining repeated requests for interviews, the day this story went to press both Brian Wilson and Eugene Landy, via facsimile transmittal, decided to break their silence concerning the BMQA charges. Landy made a simple statement of denial: “These charges are untrue, and the therapy has been extremely successful.” Brian Wilson’s statement:

DR. EUGENE LANDYis my doctor and my partner, and I cannot stand by silently while false accusations are made against him.

At the BMQA hearing, I will testify about all aspects of our relationship, but right now, I feel that I should briefly give my side of the story.

By the end of 1982, I was in terrible trouble. I was smoking three or four packs of cigarettes a day, my eating was out of control, my weight was over 300 pounds. I was drinking and taking drugs. I had no self- discipline. I needed help. Traditional therapy had failed me for over 15 years.

In 1983, Dr. Landy was hired by my brother Carl and my family, as well as my partners the Beach Boys and my trustee, John Branca, to get me back in shape. He did that and more.

During the past 10 years, a lot of people have wanted me to produce a record, but I was reluctant to return to the studio. It was through my therapy with Dr. Landy--thanks to his support and encouragement--that I was motivated to record my first solo album.

Right now, I am in the best emotional, physical, intellectual and financial shape I’ve been in for many years, maybe my whole life. And I have the solo career that I’ve wanted for a long time.

Now, a lot of people question why he’s so involved in my professional life, why he’s writing lyrics for my songs or why he’s the executive producer of my record. First of all, let me say that in the past, I’ve always preferred to work with a lyrical collaborator. I find that it helps me better express what I want to say. My co-writers have never told me what I wanted to say; they’ve been there because I’m more musical than verbal, and I find it stimulating to have somebody refine my lyrical ideas.

Some people have asked, what are his qualifications to do that? I can only say that Dr. Landy, who was with me in 1976 and now has been with me for 5 1/2 years, knows my mind and my emotions better than anybody else I know. He knows the depth of my innermost thoughts and feelings and the kinds of things I want to express. So I don’t think it’s so strange that he would co-write songs with me, knowing me as well as he does. He is also an educated man and a talented lyricist.

People never asked why I wrote with Roger Christian, who was a disc-jockey, or Tony Asher, who worked in an advertising agency. Or Mike Love, whose main qualification when we started out was that he was my cousin, or Carl or Dennis Wilson, whose main qualifications were that they were my brothers. And if you know my career, I’m sure you’ll agree that I did a lot of my best work with those collaborators.

As for Dr. Landy being the executive producer of my record, I want to publicly thank him for helping me regain control of my life and my art. One of my problems in the past 20 years is that I haven’t taken or been in control of my life or music, and Dr. Landy has stood up for me and helped me fight those battles.

People say that Dr. Landy runs my life, but the truth is, I’m in charge, Dr. Landy is my partner because it was a natural progression for us.

If, from time to time, we disagree about what I should do, I think that’s pretty typical of any close partnership. But to say that Dr. Landy controls my every action is absurd because anybody that knows me well knows that I won’t do anything I don’t want to do. From 1973-1986 I only made a few records because I didn’t want to work with the Beach Boys, to tell you the truth. It was through Dr. Landy’s assistance that I’ve finally been able to establish my independence and a solo career and have returned to my one true love, making records.

I am trying my best not to be emotional about this, but rather to present a true picture of what Dr. Landy is all about. Listen to my album and you’ll hear how good my head is. Dr. Landy saved my life.