"Brian, sum Genius, Nimis"! Murry Wilson (legendary Brian abuse)
MP3s: The Beach Boys Help Me Ronda Sessions - 
Flash Animations: Peter Bagge's Murry Wilson: Rock and Roll Dad - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
The session tape captured it all, and versions of these tapes have been floating around bootlegs for years. The fact that the tapes survived is itself surprising - you can hear Brian and Murry fighting over the tape recorder controls at the 35:30 mark of the full version, Murry wanting to stop the recording, with Brian ultimately keeping the tape rolling. And it's a good thing that Brian won out, because this audio verifies many of the Murry Wilson horror stories described in the Steven Gaines book, Heroes and Villains: The True Story of The Beach Boys.
Here's the full 40 minute version of the Help Me Ronda sessions for you completionists: (
Listening back to the full Help Me Ronda sessions again, I'm struck by how sane Brian sounds when compared to Murry, and how mature and patient he is for a 22 old standing up to his abusive, alcoholic father. After listening in on this session, It's easy to see why the Beach Boys eventually purchased Murry a fake audio console for their sessions, so he could twiddle knobs to his heart's delight without destroying anything.
Murry so destroyed this recording session that The Beach Boys re-recorded the entire song several weeks later (also re-spelling the name Ronda as Rhonda), and it was that later version which became the hit single version, which was also released on the LP Summer Days (and Summer Nights). The inferior version heard on this session was released as Help Me Ronda on the album The Beach Boys Today! The drunken, sync-o-pated version that Murry tried so hard to create was not to be.
Murry utters his immortal line "Brian, I'm a Genius, Too" at the 30:55 mark of the full session.
Both the cartoons in the DIG of Murry's legendary Brian abuse. In the tape, you can hear Brian Murry deflating (for a split second) by reminding them that Brian was deaf in one ear from a blow to the head of Murry's. A generous removal of the eye is depicted only in the here (and in the book Gaines). Murry reportedly removed his glass eye and Brian stare into the empty eye socket. That was when he was engaged to Brian Murry dung on the paper plate in front of the whole family.Murry, who destroyed this recording session so that the Beach Boys re-exposed to several weeks after all (even re-writing the name of Ronda as Rhonda), and the later version that became a hit single version, which also released LP in the summer (and Summer Nights). Lower in the version heard in this session is sent to Help Me Ronda in the list Beach Boys Today! Drunken, sync-o-pated Murry tried hard to create a version that is not to be.
Thanks to Jeff, Andy and Dave the Spazz.
As someone who can pretty much do the 12 minute version verbatium thanks for the full 40 minutes. This will sit right next to my other faves: Buddy Rich, Barry White, Paul Anka, and of course Shaggy I mean Casey Kasem.
Plus those Pete Bagge cartoons are great saw them years ago, the Joe Jackson stuff is so right on the money.
Posted by: Bruce | October 10, 2005 at 09:29 PM
I almost forgot I'M A GENIUS TOO!!!!
Posted by: bruce | October 10, 2005 at 09:34 PM
Loosen up a bit, man. Syncopate it.
Posted by: Andy Baio | October 17, 2005 at 02:58 AM
Info posted -
Mar 18, 2006 11:35 AM
Subject: My new book
Body: I'm currently working on a Murry Wilson biography that is tentatively titled, "I'm a Genius, Too" that will include many revelations. Right now its looking like a release date of November, 2006.
Posted by: John | March 23, 2006 at 09:09 AM
Interesting - on a very similar vein - given this information you've just given - we've published this piece on Brian Wilson, Murray Wilson, Family dysfunction and schizophrenia.
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/003852.html
Posted by: fred | August 30, 2006 at 03:42 PM
It's Al Jardine singing the lead.
Posted by: Chris | August 30, 2006 at 05:28 PM
What's the big deal about abuse? Anyone who has been in a recording studio has heard far worse from their own producer. And Murray is being an overprotective father like most- thinking he knows best.
Hey happens everyday everywhere. I don't see the big deal. Now as far as the rest of the behind the scenes stories, well that's different.That plate incident and slap is abuse.
Posted by: Pete | August 31, 2006 at 10:32 AM
Loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts, loosen up, sing from your hearts....
Posted by: E | November 19, 2006 at 02:49 PM
The track Murray Wilson sings the blues at www.myspace.com/theinhumanebeatbox may be of interest to anyone who appreciates the genius that is murray wilson.
Syncopate it
Posted by: sonofprent | May 30, 2007 at 01:19 PM
You always love the music you listened to going through your teens. I'm glad these guys stuck it out, they are an important part of my life.
Murry, I once heard bits of these horror stories and Brian's deaf ear. I hope it's not too hot where you are. You're great too. A great Fool
Bill
Posted by: Dr Volt | July 25, 2007 at 11:23 AM
Wow, that is shocking, and props to Brian for not just smacking Murry. Nice dig at Jonny Rivers, too
Posted by: chuck | June 23, 2008 at 07:37 AM
Hello, it's brilliant! Does anyone have this in a lossless file format by any chance? Thanks!
Posted by: Jack Gasoline | August 07, 2008 at 06:51 PM
Where does Brian blame his father for the hearing loss? I don't hear that part at all.
Posted by: Nicholas | December 16, 2009 at 01:25 AM
From what I have heard and seen in past films of this session Murray was an out of control Dictator that couldn't tell his own son Brian he loved him and that alone would have given more support than him trying to be a Manager to the boys.
Posted by: ralph smith | April 15, 2010 at 10:47 PM
Those poor boys. The world is lucky that they didn't give up. Brian was one brave little guy.
Whether or not 'everybody' does things like Murray did certainly does NOT justify it. Ever.
Posted by: ottawangel | July 14, 2010 at 09:15 PM
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