(Los Angeles) Brian Wilson, singer and co-founder of the Beach Boys, suffers from dementia and his family wishes to place him under the guardianship of his agents after the recent death of his wife, several American media revealed on Friday.
The 81-year-old musician, whose group produced the soundtrack to the Californian legend of the sixties, was “diagnosed as suffering from dementia”, explained his agent Jean Sievers to New York Times.
She should soon serve as his tutor, jointly with his manager LeeAnn Hard, according to a press release posted on Instagram.
This decision was made “following the death” of his wife Melinda Wilson in January according to the press release, and “after careful consideration and consultation between Brian, his seven children […] and Brian’s doctors.”
This placement under guardianship must still be ratified by a judge. The family filed the request this week in a Los Angeles court.
Brian Wilson suffers from a “major neurocognitive disorder” and “is unable to meet his personal physical health needs,” according to court documents filed by the family and cited by American media.
The singer’s notorious drug use had led to mental health problems, which began to manifest themselves in the late 1960s.
He described his wife Melinda, whom he met in the 1980s, as a “savior”, who allowed him to have a second career and to finish his unfinished masterpiece, the album smile.
This American pop prodigy made history in the early 1960s, when he composed rock’s happiest music with more than 200 anthems to sun, surf and tanned girls (Surfin’USA, I Get Around, Fun Fun Fun, Surf girl). It made the Beach Boys the American group with the most records sold in the world.
From the ages of 19 to 24, the bassist and singer was in his own right the equal of the Beatles: John Lennon considered Pet Sounds (1966) as one of the best albums of all time. After the innocence of the first compositions, the singer ruminated on the loss of youth and moved his group towards a more psychedelic rock with the origins of hippie culture.