Posted on 02/28/2005 4:02:39 PM PST by tame
I accidentally came across an interesting thing at www.goodnews.org, the website for a ministry know as the Good News Defenders. The following video "feed" documents Brian Wilson's (and the Beach Boys) troubled past, and alledged ties to Satanism:
"THEY SOLD THEIR SOULS FOR ROCK AND ROLL"
I found it fascinating, but presumptuous to assume that Brian's well known auditory hallucinations are actual demons (or the like).
Good News Defenders goes overboard in drawing false inferences from certain facts. Still, there are some interesting things mentioned that Are, in fact, true:
)1) Brian Wilson DOES here voices (auditory hallucinations) that scream obsenities and say things like "We're going to kill you", etc. This was well documented by Brian himself, along with his wife Melinda, on Larry King Live.
Also, Brian's keyboardist, Darian Sahanaja, spoke in an interview about his own eyewitness of one such event in Brian's home. Brian apparently screamed to Darian that "they" were going to kill him (Brian). Brian was apparently referring to the voices he was hearing.
2) Brian Wilson DID "freak out", thinking that some of his recording sessions for the legendary SMILE album (alledgedly a track titled FIRE) caused a rash of fires in the Los Angeles area.
3) The Beach Boys (especially Mike Love) DID get involved in Transcendental Meditation. This included an overseas trip with the Maharishi.
4) Charles Manson, and members of his "family" DID live with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson for a while (see Vince Bugliosi's book, Helter Skelter).
5)The Beach Boys DID record a song written by Manson BEFORE the Manson family murders (I know, spooky, huh?).
There are other things that are clearly documented as well which are mentioned or alluded to in this video.
But here's the thing. The makers of this piece assume far too much, engage in fallacies (ad hoc, etc.) and therefore draw faulty conclusions.
For instance, the Beach Boys had NO idea how wacked out Charles Manson was. In fact, most of the Beach Boys' circle apparently viewed Manson--an unfortunate friend of Dennis--as an irritating hanger-on.
How did Dennis meet Charles Manson? Dennis happened to pick up a couple of girls hitch-hiking on the freeway who also happened to be members of Manson's "family". Now, this might be a sure sign you shouldn't pick up strangers (Ya THINK?). But it hardly demonstrates premeditation to get involved with a cult, much less a murderous cult.
Yet the good fight ministry video makers seem to imply as much.
Also, they seem to fail to recognize a certain possible distinctions between mental illness (which Brian Wilson clearly has), and demonic activity and possession.
The video makers indicate that Brian was merely a channel through which demons passed their music.
Sorry, I don't buy it. I believe in demonic influence, too be sure. But to generally assign ALL of the Beach Boys/Brian's music to Satan and his demons? No.
Still, I enjoyed the video footage of Sean Lennon's (John Lennon's son) interview of Brian Wilson, and the great footage of Brian performing California Girls.
That was the flip side of "Wouldn't It Be Evil."
btw, i'm hoping to hook up with you to gice you some more trax for the page in the next few weeks :o)
i love the chord changes in that one--especially in the bridge.
Ah, we're in the same four-part harmony, tame. Wonderful ninth chords and other chords I don't know. Another one with wonderful chord changes is "She Knows Me Too Well." And "Please Let Me Wonder." The Beach Boys were so great. Tach it up, buddy.
Okie dokie. I am also thinking of a different layout for the page. I'll work on it.
i LOVE those. i was in a jam session with Hal Blaine (the original drummer on PLEASE LET ME WONDER--the record), and the song we were playing when we got kicked out of our little rent-a-studio was PLEASE LET ME WONDER! i caught it all on tape :o)
Lucky you. Hal Blaine is one of the greats, and as far as I know did most of the studio drumming on the BBs early albums. As I am sure you know, "Please Let Me Wonder" was the flip side of one of the few Dennis Wilson lead vocals on "Do You Wanna Dance," in which he did a pretty fair job. You know another forgotten BBs single that actually made the Top 20 but rarely shows up on compilations --"The Little Girl I Once Knew."
i love that one, too.
what think ye of this?
I have to admit, I've wondered if demons have tried to keep Brian Wilson down, because he is so talented and could do so much good. I don't know -- there's a fine line where illness stops and evil influences begin. However, I don't think that Brian Wilson is at all Satanic or anything -- if anything, he's tried to escape the darkness and reach the light. Besides, anyone who recorded such a beautiful version of "The Lord's Prayer" and opened SMiLE with "Our Prayer" is OK in my book...
Yup. Great post, Mike.
"Nna arabrab ab, ab ab ab. . . ."
"Nna arabrab ab, ab ab ab. . . ."
LOL!
Hi, there, onyx! i've been off the net for the most part trying to take care of business, projects, etc.
Jim Carrey does a good imitation of a record/tape playing backwards, too :o)
one time ping: i would appreciate your opinions on the video link (if you can get it), please.
There was backwards masking in that video....it told me to go to church & pray!
I could care less about who goes to the RR hall of fame.
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