His father, a frustrated songwriter who sold heavy machinery, was a "tyrant and heavy drinker" and abused Brian physically and emotionally. Brian was a musical prodigy, teaching himself piano and writing his first song at age 5.

We’re picking up sad vibrations. But how traumatized can we feel, once the first few notes of any of Brian Wilson’s most classic songs hits our tympanic membrane? Even his most sorrowful songs — and there were plenty of those,