Dennis Wilson

Trivia

• He and the Beach Boys were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1500 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
• At his last concert in 1983, lovingly hugged brother Brian Wilson after a song, causing Brian to exclaim "This my brother Dennis, you remember Dennis!" A barely audible (due to years of drug use and alcohol) yet vibrant Dennis said to the audience "You know folks, if you knew what it was like to be singing, and playing...thank you so very much. You are so beautiful to me." It was the last time he appeared in public.
• Is portrayed by Bruce Greenwood in Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys (1990) (TV).
• Is portrayed by Christopher Jacobs in Helter Skelter (2004) (TV).
• Was the last member of the Beach Boys to learn to play an instrument; their first single had brother Brian improvising drum sounds with a piepan. Also had to give up his drums for awhile in the 1970s, after shattering one wrist in an accident.
• While the other Beach Boys objected to the material brother Brian recorded for their (never-completed) "Smile" album, Dennis brushed back tears listening to the rough tracks, telling Brian "It's beautiful... don't change a thing."
• Had the most in common with father 'Murry Wilson' of any of the Wilson brothers, including his temper; while Brian and Carl usually submitted to their father's bullying, Dennis fought back. Later, Dennis was the one who spent the most time with Murry, before his death.
• Dated Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, after her split from husband John McVie.
• Only learned after falling in love with last wife Shawn that she was actually his cousin Mike Love's illegitimate daughter. Despite their distant blood relationship, Dennis and Shawn could legally marry - and doing so capped off for Dennis the hatred he'd felt for Mike, since the early Beach Boys days.
• Was the only member of the Beach Boys who could actually surf.

Quotes

• "They say I live a fast life. Maybe I just like a fast life. I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world. It won't last forever, either. But the memories will."
• "There will always be a Beach Boys. Being a Beach Boy is like being in love."
• "The thing I wonder about is where does Brian's creative spark come from? Not his subjects or anything, but his spark. What makes it so great for me is that I really don't know. There's a mystery behind Brian, even to me."
• "The one thing that kept our family together was the music. The only thing that our family would share emotionally was to have our dad cry over something the kids did with music."
• "The Beach Boys are not a superstar group. The music is the superstar of the group."
• "My mom had to beg the guys to let me play. I couldn't even play the drums right - Brian had to show me."
• "My dad was a tyrant. He used to physically beat the crap out of us."
• "I made a dollar a day sweeping a laundry out. Then we made a record that was number two in Los Angeles. We got so excited hearing it on the radio that Carl threw up."
• "I can tell you the day The Beach Boys will no longer exist - never. We'll be on stage in wheelchairs."
• "He just had a very unique way of expressing himself physically with his kids."