Devastating Facts About Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boy With A Dark Side
This sunny beach boy just barely survived a friendship with one of the most feared men in American history.
1. He Had A Dark Side
Of all the Beach Boys, Dennis Wilson was the only one living the life this surf band was singing about. He was a true beach boy, but he also had a dark side.
Fate led him to one of the most notorious figures in American history, and it was an explosive connection. His affiliation with Charles Manson led to a bloodbath that Wilson could have never imagined. Sadly, the musician spent the rest of his short life searching for a way to forget it.
2. He Was A Menace
Dennis Wilson was born on December 4, 1944, and grew up in Hawthorne, California. Wilson had two brothers, and his aggressive father was very hard on all three boys—but especially on Dennis. The other kids even had a nickname for this black sheep of the family. It was "Dennis the Menace". Wilson didn’t really fit in with his two brothers, and they were about to make that very, very clear.
3. He Wasn’t Interested
It was his brother Brian Wilson who had the idea to form a band. He was busy assembling the right musicians, which included his brother Carl, his cousin Mike Love, and a friend named Al Jardine.
The glaring omission in Brian’s band was Dennis Wilson. Wilson was into surfing and chasing girls and didn’t have much interest in music.
However, that’s when their mother stepped in and changed history.
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4. His Mom Insisted He Join The Band
Wilson’s mom, Audree Wilson, told Brian that he had to include his little brother in his band, and Brian reluctantly agreed. Wilson had learned to play the bass but was also trying out the drums. His teacher described Wilson as a drum “beater”
and not a real drummer, but he did note that Wilson learned quickly.
Wilson was now interested in joining his brothers. He came up with an original idea that would take this band from the garage to the recording studio.
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