BLOOD ON THE TRACKS Season 4: The Brian Wilson Story

Anna Nicole Smith transcended the laws of celebrity. She was a blond sexpot who was famous for being famous, and that was reason enough for pop culture. People around the world recognized her Marilyn Monroe-esque curves filled out Guess jeans, and her squeaky baby speaking voice on The Anna Nicole Show. In the early 2000s, the FBI investigated her regarding an alleged hit she organized to take out her 60-year-old “stepson.” But when Anna Nicole and her grown son Daniel died under eerily sudden — and similar — circumstances, people started to wonder if the feds were barking up the wrong bombshell.

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This excerpt from Season 8 of Disgraceland was previously exclusive but is now available wherever you get your podcasts. To hear the full episode, find and follow Disgraceland wherever you get your podcasts.

Despite his reputation as “the safe Beatle,” Paul McCartney was a badass. He took wild artistic risks, rubbed elbows with truly dangerous characters and because of his crimes, did hard time in one of the world’s most notorious prisons. His public spats with Beatles bandmate John Lennon are the stuff of legend, as is the “Paul is dead” conspiracy at the end of their time together as a band, but the truth may be even stranger.

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Sometimes you can find redemption, but you have to find it for yourself. No one is going to give it to you. You can’t find it in a movie or a song. You can only find it inside yourself. In the 21st century, decades after his pursuit of an unfinished teenage symphony to God that drove him to the edge of sanity, Brian Wilson found his redemption. But he also found something else, too: the realization of a dream that he thought had died long ago.

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Brian’s lost masterpiece, Smile, continues to lurk in the background. It’s there when Brian’s troubled and talented brother, Dennis, takes one last swim in the Pacific Ocean blue. It’s there as Brian claws his way out of the grip of the doctor who keeps him apart from health, love, and happiness. And it’s there as he prepares his triumphant return, not as a Beach Boy – but as someone he’s just discovering. Himself.

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The Beach Boys stage an intervention to get Brian the help he needs just as he reaches what he thinks is the bottom. He’s pulled out of the darkness by a doctor – a man Brian immediately recognizes as his savior. But Brian’s vision isn’t clear. He can’t see the doctor for who he really is: not the person who will set Brian free, but rather keep him trapped in a different kind of prison.

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Brian continues to lose control. And not just of his band and the music he makes. He loses self-control and becomes so dependent on drugs that he pays someone to deliver them to him. He loses control of his car and nearly kills himself in a crash. And then he loses control of himself – in front of one of the biggest rock ‘n roll stars of all time.

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After months of frustration, the Beach Boys abandon Smile to work on new music. But for Brian it’s not that easy. He’s quickly losing control. He’s betrayed by those meant to be closest to him. And one of his brothers is flirting with a dark and disturbing group of people living on the fringes of society…a so-called family that may or may not infiltrate the warm and sunny climes of the Beach Boys’ world.

SOURCES

Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys’ Brain Wilson, by Peter Ames Carlin

I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir, by Brian Wilson with Ben Greenman

Wouldn’t It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, by Charles L. Granata

The Beach Boys second place in the sonic space race: 'Smiley Smile' (Far Out)

The flight that changed Beach Boy Brian Wilson's life forever (Far Out)

The astonishing genius of Brian Wilson (The Guardian)

The Truth About The Beach Boys Album Smiley Smile (Grunge)

Discover the story behind The Beach Boys' 'SMiLE' (Goldmine)

A SMiLE In The Echo Chamber - The Beach Boys Lost Masterpiece (The Big Takeover)

The tragic story of how Brian Wilson's career was almost destroyed by a rogue doctor (Smooth Radio)

“Good Vibrations” and the Lost Studio Footage (YouTube)

The Making Of…the Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’ (Uncut)

Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (PBS)

Bad Vibrations: Brian Wilson Sues Collaborator (Rolling Stone)

Brian Wilson Talks Mental Illness, Drugs and Beach Boys (Rolling Stone)

ELTON JOHN & BRIAN WILSON - Wouldn't It Be Nice (Live, 2001)

Inside the twisted relationship between Eugene Landy and Brian Wilson (Far Out)

How one quack doctor almost destroyed Brian Wilson’s career (NY Post)

'One of Charles Manson's murderers gang babysat my two children' says Beach Boys star Mike Love (Daily Mail)

The Beach Boys battle: Why does Brian Wilson hate Mike Love? (Far Out)

The True Story Behind The Film 'Love And Mercy' (Ranker)

Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson’s Lost Masterpiece, by Domenic Priore

For behind the scenes info and news on this episode, follow:

• Instagram: @DoubleElvis @disgracelandpod
• Twitter: @DoubleElvisFm @disgracelandpod
• Tik Tok @Disgracelandpod 
• Pinterest: @doubleelvisfm 
• Facebook: Double Elvis Productions

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is part true crime, part historical fiction, and part spoken word lo-fi beat noir brought to you by Jake Brennan, host of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND.   For more shows like Blood on the Tracks, check out www.doubleelvis.com 

To hear previous seasons of Blood on the Tracks  (Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Phil Spector), check out: https://bloodonthetrackspod.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian’s troubled relationship with his controlling and abusive father comes into focus. Paul McCartney stops by a California recording studio to chew some celery into a microphone. And the tragedies of the past threaten to echo endlessly into the future.

SOURCES

Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys’ Brain Wilson, by Peter Ames Carlin

I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir, by Brian Wilson with Ben Greenman

Wouldn’t It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, by Charles L. Granata

The Beach Boys second place in the sonic space race: 'Smiley Smile' (Far Out)

The flight that changed Beach Boy Brian Wilson's life forever (Far Out)

The astonishing genius of Brian Wilson (The Guardian)

The Truth About The Beach Boys Album Smiley Smile (Grunge)

Discover the story behind The Beach Boys' 'SMiLE' (Goldmine)

A SMiLE In The Echo Chamber - The Beach Boys Lost Masterpiece (The Big Takeover)

The tragic story of how Brian Wilson's career was almost destroyed by a rogue doctor (Smooth Radio)

“Good Vibrations” and the Lost Studio Footage (YouTube)

The Making Of…the Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’ (Uncut)

Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (PBS)

Bad Vibrations: Brian Wilson Sues Collaborator (Rolling Stone)

Brian Wilson Talks Mental Illness, Drugs and Beach Boys (Rolling Stone)

ELTON JOHN & BRIAN WILSON - Wouldn't It Be Nice (Live, 2001)

Inside the twisted relationship between Eugene Landy and Brian Wilson (Far Out)

How one quack doctor almost destroyed Brian Wilson’s career (NY Post)

'One of Charles Manson's murderers gang babysat my two children' says Beach Boys star Mike Love (Daily Mail)

The Beach Boys battle: Why does Brian Wilson hate Mike Love? (Far Out)

The True Story Behind The Film 'Love And Mercy' (Ranker)

Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson’s Lost Masterpiece, by Domenic Priore

For behind the scenes info and news on this episode, follow:

• Instagram: @DoubleElvis @disgracelandpod
• Twitter: @DoubleElvisFm @disgracelandpod
• Tik Tok @Disgracelandpod 
• Pinterest: @doubleelvisfm 
• Facebook: Double Elvis Productions

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is part true crime, part historical fiction, and part spoken word lo-fi beat noir brought to you by Jake Brennan, host of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND.   For more shows like Blood on the Tracks, check out www.doubleelvis.com 

To hear previous seasons of Blood on the Tracks  (Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Phil Spector), check out: https://bloodonthetrackspod.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian is haunted by the Monterey Pop Festival, John Lennon’s voice, and the disapproval of his fellow Beach Boys. He finally goes off the deep end – literally, straight into the deep end of his pool where he holds band meetings, far away from the prying eyes and ears of the people he thinks are watching him.

SOURCES

Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys’ Brain Wilson, by Peter Ames Carlin

I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir, by Brian Wilson with Ben Greenman

Wouldn’t It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, by Charles L. Granata

The Beach Boys second place in the sonic space race: 'Smiley Smile' (Far Out)

The flight that changed Beach Boy Brian Wilson's life forever (Far Out)

The astonishing genius of Brian Wilson (The Guardian)

The Truth About The Beach Boys Album Smiley Smile (Grunge)

Discover the story behind The Beach Boys' 'SMiLE' (Goldmine)

A SMiLE In The Echo Chamber - The Beach Boys Lost Masterpiece (The Big Takeover)

The tragic story of how Brian Wilson's career was almost destroyed by a rogue doctor (Smooth Radio)

“Good Vibrations” and the Lost Studio Footage (YouTube)

The Making Of…the Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’ (Uncut)

Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (PBS)

Bad Vibrations: Brian Wilson Sues Collaborator (Rolling Stone)

Brian Wilson Talks Mental Illness, Drugs and Beach Boys (Rolling Stone)

ELTON JOHN & BRIAN WILSON - Wouldn't It Be Nice (Live, 2001)

Inside the twisted relationship between Eugene Landy and Brian Wilson (Far Out)

How one quack doctor almost destroyed Brian Wilson’s career (NY Post)

'One of Charles Manson's murderers gang babysat my two children' says Beach Boys star Mike Love (Daily Mail)

The Beach Boys battle: Why does Brian Wilson hate Mike Love? (Far Out)

The True Story Behind The Film 'Love And Mercy' (Ranker)

Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson’s Lost Masterpiece, by Domenic Priore

For behind the scenes info and news on this episode, follow:

• Instagram: @DoubleElvis @disgracelandpod
• Twitter: @DoubleElvisFm @disgracelandpod
• Tik Tok @Disgracelandpod 
• Pinterest: @doubleelvisfm 
• Facebook: Double Elvis Productions

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is part true crime, part historical fiction, and part spoken word lo-fi beat noir brought to you by Jake Brennan, host of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND.   For more shows like Blood on the Tracks, check out www.doubleelvis.com 

To hear previous seasons of Blood on the Tracks  (Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Phil Spector), check out: https://bloodonthetrackspod.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pressure builds in Brian's mind as he continues to work on Smile with the Beach Boys. His vision is completely out of step with what the others expect. A new collaborator butts heads with the band. His father, Murray, and his idol, famed record producer Phil Spector, haunt him. And just when things seem like they'll never get back on track, inspiration strikes in the form of a trusted advisor...but the advice Brian receives leads to another in a long line of disappointments.

SOURCES

Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys’ Brain Wilson, by Peter Ames Carlin

I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir, by Brian Wilson with Ben Greenman

Wouldn’t It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, by Charles L. Granata

The Beach Boys second place in the sonic space race: 'Smiley Smile' (Far Out)

The flight that changed Beach Boy Brian Wilson's life forever (Far Out)

The astonishing genius of Brian Wilson (The Guardian)

The Truth About The Beach Boys Album Smiley Smile (Grunge)

Discover the story behind The Beach Boys' 'SMiLE' (Goldmine)

A SMiLE In The Echo Chamber - The Beach Boys Lost Masterpiece (The Big Takeover)

The tragic story of how Brian Wilson's career was almost destroyed by a rogue doctor (Smooth Radio)

“Good Vibrations” and the Lost Studio Footage (YouTube)

The Making Of…the Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’ (Uncut)

Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (PBS)

Bad Vibrations: Brian Wilson Sues Collaborator (Rolling Stone)

Brian Wilson Talks Mental Illness, Drugs and Beach Boys (Rolling Stone)

ELTON JOHN & BRIAN WILSON - Wouldn't It Be Nice (Live, 2001)

Inside the twisted relationship between Eugene Landy and Brian Wilson (Far Out)

How one quack doctor almost destroyed Brian Wilson’s career (NY Post)

'One of Charles Manson's murderers gang babysat my two children' says Beach Boys star Mike Love (Daily Mail)

The Beach Boys battle: Why does Brian Wilson hate Mike Love? (Far Out)

The True Story Behind The Film 'Love And Mercy' (Ranker)

Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson’s Lost Masterpiece, by Domenic Priore

For behind the scenes info and news on this episode, follow:

• Instagram: @DoubleElvis @disgracelandpod
• Twitter: @DoubleElvisFm @disgracelandpod
• Tik Tok @Disgracelandpod 
• Pinterest: @doubleelvisfm 
• Facebook: Double Elvis Productions

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is part true crime, part historical fiction, and part spoken word lo-fi beat noir brought to you by Jake Brennan, host of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND.   For more shows like Blood on the Tracks, check out www.doubleelvis.com 

To hear previous seasons of Blood on the Tracks  (Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Phil Spector), check out: https://bloodonthetrackspod.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.