Brian Wilson’s family seeks conservatorship

The family of Brian Wilson has asked a court in Los Angeles to place the Beach Boys star under a conservatorship.

Court documents obtained by several US media outlets said the musician, 81, was suffering from a “neurocognitive disorder” similar to dementia.

The move comes after Wilson’s wife of 28 years, Melinda, died in January.

The family said their decision had been taken after “careful consideration and consultation” with Wilson, his doctors, his seven children and his housekeeper.

A doctor quoted in the documents said Wilson was “easily distracted, often even when aware of surroundings” and “often makes spontaneous irrelevant or incoherent utterances”.

According to the filing, the singer is also “unable to properly provide for his own personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter”.

At the time of writing, the BBC had been unable to independently verify the court documents, which were first reported by US celebrity website The Blast, then corroborated by People Magazine and The Wrap, among others.

In a statement on Instagram, Wilson’s family said: “This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household.”

The musician will continue to live at home with his children, under the care of housekeeper Gloria Ramos and her team, they continued.

“Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses.”

Wilson is the co-founder and chief songwriter for The Beach Boys, who emerged as part of the surf-rock boom in 1961 and built their reputation on sophisticated melodies and complex vocal harmonies.

After hits like Surfin’ USA, I Get Around and California Girls, the emergence of The Beatles prompted Wilson to steer the band in a more experimental, psychedelic direction.

His magnum opus was 1966’s Pet Sounds – widely considered one of the all-time greatest rock albums.

But his escalating drug use, combined with the pressure to keep creating ever more elaborate songs, led to a nervous breakdown, and he began to withdraw from touring and public life.

Wilson was placed under a conservatorship once before, in the early 1990s, because his family fought to separate him from a controversial psychologist Eugene Landy – who they said exerted “undue influence” over his life, music and finances.

The case was triggered by the redrafting of Wilson’s will in 1989, in which Landy was named as chief beneficiary, standing to inherit up to 70% of his estate.

By 1992, the Superior Court of Santa Monica ruled that Landy must remove himself from Wilson’s life, and appointed an independent conservator with “specific and limited powers over the artist’s affairs”.

Melinda was supposedly one of the chief instigators of that court case. After her death last month, Wilson said on his website: “We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my saviour.”

The couple married in 1995 and adopted their children Dakota Rose, Daria Rose, Delanie Rose, Dylan and Dash together.

Wilson also has two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, from his first marriage.