Pearl
TID Lady Member
- Oct 6, 2011
- 367
- 158
K, Beach Boys, one of my altime favs -amazing harmony - I had the hots for (drummer) Dennis who drowned at 39 - I read Brian's biography - so here's my take: Correction, it wasn't Brian that beat Charles Manson up, it was Dennis who even had a fistfight with his own dad. Dennis wouldn't take anything from anybody and had no fear. It was Summer 1968, Dennis picked up two of Manson's harem hitchhiking on Sunset Blvd, took them home and met Charlie who played the guitar. Dennis (coming out of divorce) liked the 'free-spirited' girls and hit it off with Manson who imagined himself an artist wanting a record contract. Manson '& family' moved in with Dennis and the partying began - (until $100K later Dennis moved out and left the Manson family to the landlord to evict. ) But while they were buddies/housemates Dennis introduced Manson to Columbia Records Producer Terry Melcher (son of Doris Day) who was living at 10050 Cielo Dr (remember this address). Dennis invited Manson to record at his studio where things went bad and Manson pulled a knife. Dennis later recorded a version of Manson's 'Cease To Exist' changing the lyrics & renaming it to 'Never Learn Not to Love' which found its way onto a Beach Boys album. Later, Dennis found a bullet on his bed placed by Manson. Terry Melcher was freaked out by Manson and wouldn't sign him a record deal. Manson was furious and initiated 'Helter Skelter' Aug 8, 1969 - He ordered his followers to go to 10050 Cielo Dr and kill everyone. Yet Manson didn't know that Melcher had moved out a couple of months earlier. The new resident, actress Sharon Tate, wouldn't open the door and let Manson in (looking for Melcher) so he left. He shortly returned and slaughtered her and six others.
And if you're a NIN fan - you'll know that Trent Reznor was the last owner of the property. He rented the house in 1992 and set up a recording studio dubbed 'Pig' in reference to Susan Atkins' scrawling it in Tate's blood on the front door - recorded most of the Nine Inch Nails album The Downward Spiral (1994) there plus 'Broken' and let Marilyn Manson record some, but moved out in Dec '93 after meeting Sharon Tate's sister. Reznor took the front door of the house with him when he moved out, installing it at Nothing Studios, his recording studio/record label headquarters in New Orleans which was later sold. The front door Reznor removed from 10050 Cielo Drive is currently preserved in the possession of the owner of that building which has since been demolished and a new residence built with the address changed.
https://www.biography.com/news/charles-manson-dennis-wilson-friendship
And that's the story of how Dennis Wilson/The Beach Boys, notorious Charles Manson (and Trent Reznor) are connected.
