Editing Brian Wilson (section)

==1973–1975: Recluse period==
{{Quote box|align=left|quote= I was taking some drugs and I experimented myself right out of action. [...] I'd sometimes go and record. But basically I just stayed in my bedroom. I was under the sheets and I watched television.|source=—Brian Wilson{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=330}} |width = 25% }}

After his father's death in June 1973, Wilson secluded himself in the chauffeur's quarters of his home, where he spent his time sleeping, abusing drugs and alcohol, overeating, and exhibiting [[self-destructive behavior]].{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=198}} He rarely ventured outside wearing anything but [[pajamas]] and later said that his father's death "had a lot to do with my retreating".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=212}} Wilson's family were eventually forced to take control of his financial affairs due to his irresponsible drug expenditures.{{sfn|White|1996|p=290}}{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=213}}{{refn|group=nb|Carl explained, "There was a thing where Brian kept on giving people money to 'score'. Not for himself but for themselves. It's like he was giving a guy every week a few hundred bucks, and a very well-known guy at that."{{sfn|White|1996|p=290}}}} This led Wilson to occasionally wander the city, begging for rides, drugs, and alcohol.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=213}}

According to Wilson, from 1974 to 1975, his output was confined to minimal, fragmentary recordings, due to a diminished capacity for sustained concentration.{{sfn|White|1996|p=296}} He elaborated that he had been preoccupied with snorting cocaine, reading magazines such as ''[[Playboy]]'' and ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Brown|first=Ethan|title=Influences: Brian Wilson|magazine=New York Mag|date=August 15, 2005|url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/pop/12377/}}</ref> and "hanging out with Danny Hutton", whose [[Laurel Canyon]] house had become the center of Wilson's social life.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=265}} Although increasingly reclusive during the day, Wilson spent many nights at Hutton's house fraternizing with colleagues such as [[Alice Cooper]] and [[Iggy Pop]].{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=172}}{{sfn|Wilson|Gold|1991|p=194}}{{refn|group=nb|In the 1970s, Wilson developed a longtime obsession with the folk standard "Shortnin' Bread", recording numerous unreleased variations of the song.<ref name="Bedroom2014" /><ref name="Chidester2014" /> According to Cooper, Wilson had proclaimed that it was "the greatest song ever written."{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=20}}}} Other visitors of Hutton's home included [[Harry Nilsson]], [[John Lennon]], [[Ringo Starr]] and [[Keith Moon]].{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=172}}{{refn|group=nb|Wilson stated in a 2001 interview that he had never met Lennon.<ref name="B&N01">{{cite web |author1=Barnes & Noble.com |title=Interview: Brian Wilson: A Pop Genius Speaks of Love, Mercy, and Melody |url=http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/interview.asp?z=y&CTR=662203 |website=Barnes & Noble |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231041958/http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/interview.asp?z=y&CTR=662203 |date=November 6, 2001|archive-date=December 31, 2006}}</ref> However, Cooper told another story in which he had witnessed Wilson at a party, with Lennon, repeatedly asking fellow attendees to introduce him to the Beatle, one after another.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=21}}}} On several occasions, Marilyn Wilson sent her friends to climb Hutton's fence and retrieve her husband.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=265}} In 1974, Wilson interrupted a set by jazz musician [[Larry Coryell]] at [[Troubadour (West Hollywood, California)|The Troubadour]] by leaping on stage and singing "[[Be-Bop-A-Lula]]" while wearing slippers and a bathrobe.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Brian's Back |magazine=Newsweek|date=July 19, 1976 |page=79 |url= http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z405/smayo1953/scan6.jpg |access-date=July 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726051823/http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z405/smayo1953/scan6.jpg|archive-date=July 26, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

Many reported anecdotes involving Wilson in the early 1970s, though frequently of questionable veracity, attained a legendary status.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=213}} Recalling Wilson's wellbeing at the time, [[John Sebastian]] said, "It wasn't all grimness."{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=38}} [[Jeff Foskett]], then a Beach Boys fan who had visited Wilson's home unannounced, similarly commented that Wilson had responded cordially to the visit and had belied the popular myths surrounding him.<ref name="AstonishingGenius2011">{{cite news|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|title=The astonishing genius of Brian Wilson|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/24/brian-wilson-interview|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=June 24, 2011}}</ref> Wilson also participated in some recording sessions for Nilsson's "[[Duit on Mon Dei|Salmon Falls]]"<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shipton|first1=Alyn|title=Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter|date=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19975-657-5|page=189}}</ref> and Keith Moon's solo album, ''[[Two Sides of the Moon]]''.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=340}}

The Beach Boys' greatest hits compilation ''[[Endless Summer (The Beach Boys album)|Endless Summer]]'' was a surprise success, becoming the band's second number-one U.S. album in October 1974. To take advantage of their sudden resurgence in popularity, Wilson agreed to join his bandmates in Colorado for the recording of a new album at [[James William Guercio]]'s [[Caribou Ranch]] studio.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=217}} The group completed a few tracks, including "[[Child of Winter (Christmas Song)]]", but ultimately abandoned the project.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=218}} Released as a single at the end of December 1974, "Child of Winter" was their first record that displayed the credit "Produced by Brian Wilson" since 1966.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=343}}

Early in 1975, while still under contract with Warner Bros., Wilson signed a short-lived sideline production deal with Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher's Equinox Records. Together, they founded the loose-knit supergroup known as [[California Music]], which also involved Gary Usher, [[Curt Boettcher]], and other Los Angeles musicians.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=198}} Along with his guest appearances on [[Johnny Rivers]]' rendition of "[[Help Me, Rhonda]]" and [[Jackie DeShannon]]'s "[[New Arrangement|Boat to Sail]]", Wilson's production of California Music's single "[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]" represents his only "serious" work throughout this period.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=351}}