Pop pioneer tormented by demons

BRIAN Wilson took us all to a happier place with classic Beach Boys hits such as Good Vibrations, Surfin' USA, California Girls and Wouldn’t It Be Nice? but he was often unable to join in the fun.

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A tortured genius of 1960s pop, his upbeat and iconic songs, that helped define an era, belied a lifelong struggle with mental illness and battles with substance abuse.

Beneath the prodigious talent and success story, the man behind the band who inspired The Beatles suffered bouts of mental torment for significant periods of his life, living like a recluse, while overeating and abusing drugs.

Born in Inglewood, California, Wilson was the eldest brother of fellow band members Dennis and Carl. Their narcissist father Murry was “violent” and “cruel”, according to his eldest son’s 2016 memoir "I Am Brian Wilson" - who attributed the deafness in his right ear to beatings in his youth.