Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys
(Extract from transcript of interview on Larry king Show, 20/08/2004 with Brian and Melinda Wilson )
M. WILSON: Because all of the sudden – I mean, you’re normal and all of the sudden you start hearing voices in your head and things start happening to you that you don’t know whether to tell people or – I think with Brian he went a long time without discussing it with…
KING: Why not?
B. WILSON: I was afraid to. I was afraid to.
KING: Yes, I would imagine. I can understand. When you say you heard voices can you describe what that’s like? Because we read stories like that about people who — what happens?
B. WILSON: Well, a voice is saying: “I’m going to hurt you, I’m going to kill you.” And I’d say: “Please don’t kill me.”
KING: It’s an actual voice.
B. WILSON: Actual voice in my head. Yes.
KING: Not your voice?
B. WILSON: No. No.
M. WILSON: That’s called auditory hallucinations and if somebody’s depression is deep enough that’s what happens to them.
KING: And at the same time you’re still writing songs?
B. WILSON: Yes, I could still write songs, yes, during that period.
KING: Right hit songs.
B. WILSON: Yes.
M. WILSON: That’s the thing that’s amazing. Right now when he goes out on tour I can look at him and I say to myself: “Oh my God, I can tell just by his face he’s hearing voices.”
KING: You still hear them.
B. WILSON: Oh yes. I still hear them.
