A decision to kick out Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys was reached when the band were at an “ultimate crossroads”.
The group behind Pet Sounds and Surf’s Up had failed to recapture the magic of their Wilson-led breakthrough and the politically charged 1971 release in the years to follow. They would stagger on for another decade before they decided to cut ties with Wilson, who went on to create a series of solo albums, some of which were under the supervision of producer and psychologist Dr. Eugene Landy. With the release of their M.I.U. Album, the band found themselves falling out of favour with the public, not even cracking the top 150. Their follow-ups fared no better, and it was ultimately decided to remove Brian Wilson from his role in the group.
Speaking of this “important and difficult” time for the band, Carl Wilson said: “he last two years have been the most important and difficult time of our career. We were at the ultimate crossroads. We had to decide whether what we had been involved in since we were teenagers had lost its meaning. We asked ourselves and each other the difficult questions we’d often avoided in the past.”
Brian Wilson would officially be sacked in the office of the band’s lawyer, where he was handed a letter confirming he had been dismissed by the band.
The letter, in part, reads: “This is to advise you that your services as an employee of Brother Records Inc. and otherwise are hereby terminated, effective immediately. This action is taken in your best interest and is not reversible. We wish you the best of health.”
Part of the reason to remove Wilson from the group had been made due to Dr. Landy’s increasing involvement with the God Only Knows songwriter, with many in the band believing it was tough love that would help above all else.
Fans have since called on Wilson to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom award following his death last year. Fans posting to the r/TheBeachBoys subreddit have since shared their hopes of Wilson receiving a nod. Though the chances of this remain slim, many said the songwriter behind Pet Sounds deserved a nod. One user asked: “Why has Brian Wilson seemingly been snubbed of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
“Other notable artists who’ve contributed to American culture have been awarded (i.e: Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, etc). For being the lead songwriter of ‘America’s Band’, he seems deserving of the highest civilian honour in the United States. Seems like he’s been overlooked. What do you guys think?”
Fans of The Beach Boys have all agreed Wilson is more than deserving of the accolade. One wrote: “He’s in the pantheon of one of the greatest artists and composers, and to NOT have the medal is a complete blind spot and diminishes the ‘importance’ of the medal itself.
“It’s like, how can Brian not be a recipient? This is more than just overlooked, it’s unconscionable.” Other fans believe Mike Love is more likely to receive the award than Wilson is.
One user wrote: “With all the bullshit nonsense that comes out of the White House regarding American pop culture I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Mike Love getting this award after Trump hears the boys on the radio one day.”
