Brian Wilson Cancels June Dates Citing Return Of Mental Health Issues

courtesy BeachLife – Brian Wilson
BeachLife

Brian Wilson announced June 6 he has postponed the remainder of his June tour dates, citing a recurrence of mental health issues that emerged after three back surgeries in the last year-plus.

It was a stunning announcement after 20 years of touring and recording for Wilson, who has been open about his struggles with mental issues for much of his life, particularly since recovering sufficiently to re-start his music and touring career in the 1990s after years of reclusivity.

In his Facebook message, the Beach Boys co-founder and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer wrote:

Dear friends,

It is with great regret that I need to postpone my upcoming June tour.

It is no secret that I have been living with mental illness for many decades. There were times when it was unbearable but with doctors and medications I have been able to live a wonderful, healthy and productive life with support from my family, friends and fans who have helped me through this journey.

As you may know in the last year or so I’ve had 3 surgeries on my back. The surgeries were successful and i’m physically stronger than i’ve been in a long time.

However, after my last surgery i started feeling strange and it’s been pretty scary for awhile. I was not feeling like myself. Mentally insecure is how I’d describe it. We’re not sure what is causing it but i do know that it’s not good for me to be on the road right now so I’m heading back to Los Angeles.

I had every intention to do these shows and was excited to get back to performing. I’ve been in the studio recording and rehearsing with my band and have been feeling better. But then it crept back and I’ve been struggling with stuff in my head and saying things I don’t mean and I don’t know why. Its something i’ve never dealt with before and we cant quite figure it out just yet.

I’m going to rest, recover and work with my doctors on this.

I’m looking forward to my recovery and seeing everyone later in the year.

The music and my fans keep me going and I know this will be something I can AGAIN overcome.

Love & Mercy,

Brian Wilson

Wilson had a break in his itinerary from the end of June until the Aug. 31 launch of a 15-date, co-billed tour with The Zombies at The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. That outing is slated to run through a Sept. 26 concert at New York’s Beacon Theater.

Wilson took time off in 2017 for back surgery but returned to the road, including a recent appearance May 5 at the inaugural BeachLife Festival May in Redondo Beach, Calif. – a homecoming of sorts for him. He and brothers Dennis and Carl, and cousin Mike Love – the family backbone of The Beach Boys – grew up in nearby Hawthorne.

Wilson has been a road warrior for some 20 years, but stopped touring with the band after suffering what he’s described as a panic attack on a flight during a 1964 tour. He retreated to the studio where he wrote and produced some of the best-regarded records in rock ‘n’ roll history, including Pet Sounds and the demos for Smile — which legend has it Wilson destroyed, only for the band to release in 1967 as Smiley Smile.

After a legal battle with his former therapist and recovery from the worst of his mental health struggles, Wilson recorded and released solo albums and returned to the Smile project, releasing Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE in 2004 and mounting a successful tour performing the album in its entirety.

He’s maintained a fairly rigorous road itinerary since his return, including a 50th anniversary reunion tour in 2012 with the original Beach Boys including Al Jardine and Mike Love. Over the last three years, Wilson has averaged 1,951 tickets sold and a gross of $150,499 per show, performing the Beach Boys classic album Pet Sounds in its entirety and many of the band’s greatest hits including “California Girls,” “I Get Around,” “In My Room,” and “God Only Knows.” He’s continued touring with Jardine, as well as former Beach Boy Blondie Chaplin while Love continues touring with The Beach Boys.