Wednesday, June 11, 2025, marks a tragic day in music history, as Brian Wilson passed away at 82 years old. The musical genius was a titan of industry and the mind behind some of the greatest hits of the 1960s. He was the heart and soul of The Beach Boys.
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Brian Wilson shook hands with some of the biggest musical icons of all time. One of those icons was John Lennon. However, in the 70s, Wilson had been suffering from depression, auditory hallucinations, and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. That being said, he seemingly forgot a lot of things, including his initial meeting with John Lennon.
It is unclear how many times Wilson had met Lennon prior to 1974. However, in 1974, while at the Grammy Awards, Wilson met him again. Again, given that his condition made him believe it was their first interaction. And one individual who recalled the whole thing is Alice Cooper.
How Brian Wilson Met John Lennon, As Told by Alice Cooper
According to a Reddit thread and Everwas, this is Alice Cooper’s story…
“I was sitting backstage after the 1974 Grammys with Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist) and John Lennon,” said Cooper. “This was when Brian was really having some mental issues. During the course of the conversation, I kept seeing Brian out of the corner of my eye, just kind of staring at us from different angles.”
“Finally, he came up to the table, bent down and whispered in my ear, ‘Hey Alice, introduce me to John Lennon,’” Cooper continued. “I couldn’t believe that these two men had never met! They were virtually neck and neck in the 60s as the greatest bands on the planet, and I’m sure they must have crossed paths at some point. But then I thought to myself, ‘Wow, if they really have never met, I’m going to be the one to introduce them and become a part of rock history!’”
“So I merely said, ‘Brian Wilson, this is John Lennon. John Lennon, this is Brian Wilson.’ Lennon was very cordial and polite, saying things like ‘Hello Brian, I’ve always wanted to meet you. I’ve always admired your work, and Paul and I considered Pet Sounds one of the best albums ever made.’ Brian thanked him and walked away, at which point Lennon went right back to his conversation like nothing had happened.”
“About ten minutes later, Brian came by our table again, leaned down and whispered something to Bernie [Taupin], and all of a sudden, Bernie was saying, ‘Brian Wilson, this is John Lennon. John Lennon, Brian Wilson.’ Lennon was just as cordial and polite as the first time, saying essentially the same thing about always wanting to meet him. As soon as Brian walked away, John looked at both of us and casually said in his typical Liverpudlian accent, ‘I’ve met him hundreds of times. He’s not well, you know.’”
Behind Wilson’s Mental Health Struggle
This is an interesting piece of rock ‘n’ roll history, no doubt. However, it also displays the severity of Brian Wilson’s struggles with mental health. As stated previously, Wilson suffered from depression, auditory hallucinations, and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. He struggled with these mental health issues from the mid-1960s to reportedly around the late-1990s and early-2000s.
In addition to these struggles, Wilson was also diagnosed with dementia in early 2024. Nevertheless, Brian Wilson will be missed, as his contribution to music is truly insurmountable.
Photo by Andre Csillag/Shutterstock
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