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Brian Wilson postpones tour, says he feels ‘mentally insecure’

Brian Wilson performs onstage during the 51st Montreux Jazz Festival, in Montreux, Switzerland, on July 9, 2017. Cyril Zingaro / EPA

Brian Wilson, formerly of The Beach Boys, has postponed a series of upcoming summer concert dates.

The North American Pet Sounds: The Final Performances tour was set to kick off this Friday, June 7, in Lynn, Mass., however, Wilson, 76, announced that he “needed to postpone” them in an official statement on Thursday morning.

The reasoning? Wilson revealed he has been “feeling strange for a while.” He specifically described it as feeling “mentally insecure.”

Unfortunately, Wilson has dealt with a variety of mental health issues since the mid-1960s.

He was officially diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, according to Peter Carlin’s 2006 Beach Boys-inspired novel, Catch the Wave. Wilson touched on the diagnosis in his own 2016 autobiography, I Am Brian Wilson.

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“It crept back,” wrote the singer, “and I’ve been struggling with stuff in my head, saying things I don’t mean and I don’t know why.”

“It is no secret that I have been living with mental illness for many decades,” wrote the Good Vibrations rocker. “There were times when it was unbearable,” he continued, “but with doctors and medications I have been able to live a wonderful, healthy and productive life.”

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He revealed that he had three operations on his back in 2018 — shortly after postponing another concert tour. “The surgeries were successful,” assured Wilson, “and I’m physically stronger than I’ve been in a long time.”

“However,” he continued, “after my last surgery, I started feeling strange and it’s been pretty scary for awhile. I was not feeling like myself.”

“We’re not sure what is causing it, but I do know that it’s not good for me to be on the road right now. It’s something I’ve never dealt with before,” he added, “and we can’t quite figure it out just yet.”

Wilson claimed that he was heading home to Los Angeles, Calif., and promised to “rest” and “recover” with the help of his doctors.

Brian Wilson performs with The Beach Boys during a concert at the Beacon Theater on, May 8, 2012, in New York City. AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

“I’m looking forward to my recovery and seeing everyone later in the year,” Wilson concluded, sharing some hope with his fans. “The music and my fans keep me going and I know this will be something I can AGAIN overcome.”

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In his autobiography, the rocker detailed his diagnosis and how drug experimentation seriously impacted his mental health.

“I want people to realize that drugs can be very detrimental and dangerous,” he told Rolling Stone in an interview. “[They’re] mentally dangerous to take,” he added. “I regret having taken LSD. It’s a bad drug.”

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As of this writing, none of the 12 scheduled tour dates have been rescheduled. Any additional updates can be found on the official Brian Wilson website.

Wilson’s full statement can be read here.

adam.wallis@globalnews.ca
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