Surfin'

An Astrological Look at the Life of Brian Wilson

If everybody had an ocean

Across the U.S.A.

Then everybody’d be surfin

’Like California

You’d see ’em wearing their baggies

Huarache sandals too

A bushy bushy blonde hairdo

Surfin’ U.S.A

You’d catch ’em surfin’ at Del Mar

Ventura County Line

SantaCruz and Trestles

Australia’s Narrabeen

All over Manhattan

And down Doheny Way

Everybody’s gone surfin’

Surfin’ U.S.A

We’ll all be planning that route

We’re gonna take real soon

We’re waxing down our surfboards

We can’t wait for June

We’ll all be gone for the summer

We’re on surfari to stay

Tell the teacher we’re surfin’

Surfin’ U.S.A

300 pounds. It was a frightening period for all who knew him. He had been bedridden for over two and half years due to depression and substance abuse. His mental health deteriorated significantly, and he became reclusive, heavily using cocaine, hallucinogens, alcohol, and other drugs. His weight increased dramatically due to overeating. This period of seclusion was marked by deep psychological struggles, hallucinations, paranoia, and a disconnection from reality. This fabled fall from success is not uncommon but for this highly talented songwriter and musician from California and co-founder of the Beach Boys, the "Fun, Fun, Fun" had gone into a tragic tailspin. Brian Wilson had crashed.

This massive turn of events and the stories that followed inspired others to write songs about it, such as, "Brian Wilson", by the Barenaked Ladies. They wrote and first released the song "Brian Wilson" in 1992 on their album Gordon. The song was written by Steven Page as a tribute to the Beach Boys' co-founder Brian Wilson, focusing on his struggles with mental health and substance abuse. You can hear that song here: https://youtu.be/Ch84fmOa414?si=Qq6o8W71jsYqmKmI

Interestingly, Brian Wilson himself covered the song during live concerts around 2000 and even recorded a version for his live album Live at the Roxy Theatre. The interaction was surreal and meaningful, with Wilson expressing appreciation for the tribute.

The Beach Boys were an iconic 1960s band. Comprised of three brothers, Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Their fame skyrocketed in part due to their unique style of music that became known as simply "California Sound". The implication being that if California could play music, this would be what you'd hear. One the most famed songs to come out of the fast-moving catalog of music compiled in these years of Beach Boys success was "Good Vibrations". This was a Grammy-nominated single and a groundbreaking masterpiece. His life story encompasses creative brilliance, personal struggles, and lasting influence on rock and pop history.

Here is Brian Wilson's Birth Chart:

Brian Douglas Wilson, co-founder and primary songwriter of the Beach Boys, was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California, USA. He was born under a Gemini Sun at 28 degrees and 28 minutes, conjunct his natal Jupiter domiciled in Cancer in his second natal house. Here we immediately get insight into his nature, that of being a curious, restless, and fickle soul. People born under the sign of Gemini are often clever, good communicators, in all forms, from speaking, to writing, particularly storytelling. There can be a propensity toward nervousness and nervous diseases. Sadly, Brian Wilson suffered from neurological and mental health conditions affecting his nervous system, notably schizoaffective disorder, a condition combining symptoms of schizophrenia and mood disorders. In his later years, he was diagnosed with a major neurocognitive disorder, likely a form of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, which impaired his cognitive functioning.

When we examine the synergy of a Gemini Sun with a Cancer Jupiter, it can be seen as a blend of a restless, distracted nature with intense emotions. Brian Wilson harnessed these energies in his songwriting and music. The push he needed to write songs came from a square aspect to Neptune, situated in his fifth house of creative expression. This creative and visionary Neptune pushed Brian's dualistic tendencies to produce organized and detailed works, leading to the creation of distinctive and ethereal music.

With his natal Sun positioned in the second house, the financial house, it makes sense that his agility and cleverness in writing and storytelling could lead to financial stability and a way to earn a living. The music created by the Beach Boys was a blend of lively tempos, enjoyable vocal phrasing, and relatable, youthful lyrics, offering listeners a lasting sense of lightheartedness. Considering the influence that growing up in California had on their music, I began to wonder if there was an asteroid named California, and if so, where it would have been at the time of Brian Wilson's birth.

There is an asteroid California, numbered 341, and it is positioned at 3 degrees and 5 minutes of Cancer in the second house of Brian's chart, and it is conjunct with a Cancer Jupiter at 2 degrees and 17 minutes of Cancer (Exalted). Could this be anymore poetic? The place Brian and his brothers grew up, the inspiration for the lion's share of their music, and the means by which they were able to make a living, California, is located in his financial house and aided by an exalted Jupiter in Cancer. When a planet is in exaltation it gets the "red carpet treatment", enjoying all sorts of benefits and creature comforts. Cancer is also the sign of family, it was a band composed of three brothers, a cousin and a friend. It is also the sign of protection and security, which is what this combo seems to signify.

According to Fox Business, the Beach Boys have sold over 100 million records worldwide and have remained one of the highest-paid acts for generations. Their catalog of hits generates around $10 million annually in recorded master revenue, plus an estimated $3 million in publishing revenue each year. Brian Wilson, as the main songwriter, earned a significant share of royalties, estimated at about $680,000 annually from songwriter rights alone.

Given Brian's mental and substance abuse issues, I decided to include significant related asteroids, as well as a look at the classic planetary bodies in his chart to see if this potentiality or proclivity could be spotted. What came next was both saddening and dumbfoundingly on target given what we know about how his life unfolded.

In astrology, the twelfth house is where one looks to find issues related to isolation, retreat, escapism, hidden matters, and addictions. In the chart above, you'll see that the planet Venus in Taurus was located in Brian's twelfth house at birth. Venus represents where we seek pleasure and indulgence in life. Taurus is one of the two zodiac signs where Venus is at its strongest, in rulership, allowing it to have its own way and control its destiny, for better or worse. As you'll soon understand more clearly, having this powerful planet that seeks sensory satisfaction in the twelfth house can lead to challenges, including a strong desire to escape by any means one finds or prefers.

This concept reaches a new level when we examine the inclusion of asteroids with thematic connections. Listed below are some of these asteroids and their positions at the time of Brian's birth.

In a conjunction with the powerful Venus in this twelfth house, we find an asteroid Melancholia, number 5708. This is an asteroid associated with themes of depression, melancholy, and mourning. It is linked to long-term sadness and may indicate a propensity for depressive moods or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) when prominent or making significant aspects in a natal chart. Also, in the zodiacal sign of Taurus at 22 degrees and 21 minutes, which like Venus, is correlated with pleasure seeking and indulgence.

Combine this with a Taurus Venus in the house of addiction and escape and there is an increased possibility of such issues being a challenge. And as we know, this was Brian's Achilles heel. In the same house was the asteroid, Echo, at 8 degrees and 35 minutes of Taurus. It's correlated with allowing oneself to waste away in grief, sorrow, and depression… giving up all else, and feeling there is nothing left to live for. Echo makes a square aspect to Brian's Mars/Pluto conjunction which resides in Leo in his house of siblings, and where we find our voice, not our literal voice which resides in the second house, but how we use the one we have.

If we consider this Mars/Pluto conjunction in isolation, in Leo, we get a picture of someone boldly and expressively write (in this case songs) and to do so in a manner that is transformative, powerful and done in a colorful, joyful, and playful manner. Mars energy drove Brian to write, and Pluto energy assisted him to be a transformative artist. This configuration also drove him to seek a leading role as the songwriter of the Beach Boys and to become the creative force behind the band, responsible for their signature surf sound, intricate orchestral arrangements, and perfect harmonies. Also, the third house where this conjunction resides is the house of siblings and cousins, which composed four out of the five band members.

Nevertheless, a challenge to this role emerges due to a square, attributed to Echo in his twelfth house. This suggests his struggles with grief, sorrow, and depression, which led to conflicts with his two brothers and impeded his musical writing and performance abilities. His difficulties also influenced internal disputes over songwriting credits and control.

In his third house, the asteroid Bacchus, number 2063, is also present at 24 degrees and 18 minutes of Cancer. Bacchus is associated with themes of pleasure, indulgence, revelry, hedonism, creativity, and ecstasy. When positioned in the sign of Cancer, these energies are infused with emotion to the point of becoming a necessity. Since the third house represents our everyday environment, it's unsurprising that Brian often experienced episodes where his world became very limited and consumed by addiction. His mental tendencies, another aspect of the third house, were drawn toward fulfilling his Bacchus in Cancer desires. Additionally, Bacchus was sextile to his Neptune in the fifth house at birth.

Brian's Neptune was in Virgo, a placement where the blending of these energies is attempting to combine dreamy, visionary, and imaginative concepts in an organized manner. Neptune in the fifth house can lead to idealized views of love and romance. An example of this appears in the song "Surfer Girl" in which we get a glimpse of the dreamy, watery qualities of Neptune being organized into a creative song:

Little surfer, little one

Made my heart come all undone

Do you love me, do you, surfer girl?

(Surfer girl, my little surfer girl)

I have watched you on the shore

Standing by the ocean's roar

Do you love me, do you, surfer girl?

(Surfer girl, surfer girl)

We could ride the surf together

While our love would grow

In my Woody I would take you everywhere I go

So, I say from me to you

I will make your dreams come true

Analyzing the sextile between Neptune and Bacchus highlights the connection between imaginative creative desires (Neptune in the fifth house) and his joyful and passionate impulses to write (Bacchus in the third house) working in unison. Since a sextile signifies things happening effortlessly, it's unsurprising that Brian Wilson was renowned for his quick songwriting ability, particularly during the early stages of composition. He noted that the initial ideas for his songs often emerged swiftly, sometimes within an hour or two.

Next, the asteroid Maniac, numbered 228029, resides in Brian's fourth house, associated with family, home, and emotional foundation. In the natural zodiac, this corresponds to the Cancer house, which is directly linked to emotional expression and personal needs. Maniac was positioned at 6 degrees and 1 minute of Virgo. Virgo is often related to the nervous system, worry, patterns, and rumination. Maniac is linked to impulsive and extreme emotional states. Once more, the fourth house serves as the center of one's emotions.

When examining if Maniac is in aspect to any planets in Brian's chart, we quickly find that it forms a square with his Gemini Saturn at 5 degrees 26 minutes, in conjunction with a Gemini Uranus at 2 degrees 4 minutes in his first house. The first house symbolizes the persona we show to the world. This conjunction perfectly encapsulates how others perceived Brian Wilson. With Saturn in Gemini, there is an inherent conflict as Saturn, the planet of rules and restrictions, known for its gravity, encounters Gemini's energy, which seeks multiple perspectives, is restless, sometimes nervous, lighthearted, and aims for balance. Adding Uranus in Gemini, which signifies mental hyperactivity, a belief in individuality, and unique and innovative ideas, reveals the rebellious spirit of Brian Wilson that the world recognized.

The square from Maniac poses a difficulty in how these energies end up being seen by others. Brian was definitely an innovative songwriter as well as vocalist. This was evidenced by use of intricate arrangements, layering multiple elements in the studio. The wrestling match between Saturn in Gemini caused him to look at traditional approaches (Saturn) differently, resulting in a new music class known as the previously mentioned "California Sound" for which they became known. This was a blended rock, pop, vocal harmonies, and sophisticated production techniques. Their landmark album "Pet Sounds" pushed the boundaries of pop and rock, employing intricate vocal harmonies, unconventional instruments, and conceptual songwriting that influenced the development of subgenres such as sunshine pop, baroque pop, and chamber pop.

The challenge that arose was that despite Brian's immense talents, his mental struggles, as indicated by the significant placements of Echo, Melancholia, Bacchus, and Maniac, unfortunately limited him from expressing them for long periods. However, it could also be argued that these struggles often fueled his deeply creative outbursts. Many of his most emotionally profound songs reflect his experiences with depression, isolation, and inner turmoil. For instance, songs like "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times," "In My Room," and several tracks on the album Pet Sounds convey feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, and the search for solace.

According to a USA Today article, Brian Wilson died on June 11, 2025, at the age of 82. He passed away at his residence in Beverly Hills, California, from respiratory arrest after several minutes of effort to breathe. Following his death, he was cremated and laid to rest in a cemetery in Westwood, near UCLA. Wilson had been battling dementia in his later years, and his family had placed him under conservatorship due to his declining condition. His passing was announced by his family via social media, expressing their grief and requesting privacy during this time.