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1968
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| February |
Mike travels to Rishikesh, India for several weeks, to study (with The Beatles and Donovan) at the Maharishi's ashram and becomes an ardent convert to Transcendental Meditation. |
| April |
"Friends/Little Bird" single released; it will peak at #47. Brian & Marilyn's daughter Carnie is born on the 29th. The band begin a package tour with Buffalo Springfield and The Strawberry Alarm Clock which is slightly disrupted in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (but nowhere near as badly as had long been supposed). |
| May |
Mike & Suzanne's second child, Christian, born on the 23rd. The band commence a second tour, this time with the Maharishi. The tour after is abandoned after five dates are played when The Maharishi pulls out to concentrate on a film project, at a cost estimated at between $250,000 and $500,000. Combined with the problems of the earlier tour, the financial losses are devastating. |
| late spring |
Dennis comes home one day and finds Charles Manson installed in his house on Sunset Blvd. |
| summer |
Dennis & Carl allegedly produce an album for Manson in Brian's home studio. Brian reportedly plays some part in the proceedings, as do members of 'The Wrecking Crew', the elite of the LA studio musicians used by Brian & Phil Spector. For a short period, Brian is committed to a psychiatric hospital, possibly of his own accord. |
| June |
Friends album released, the Beach Boys first 'official' stereo album and, at #126, their worst charting release, LP or 45, to date. |
| July |
formula summer single "Do It Again/Wake The World" is released, and proves to be the last Top Twenty hit (at #20) for eight years. |
| August |
Best Of The Beach Boys Volume 3 is released and charts at a new low of #153, a record which is swiftly beaten when Stack O' Tracks - a bizarre compilation of classic BB songs minus the vocals - becomes the first ever record bearing the Beach Boys name not to chart. Dennis moves out of the Sunset Blvd. house (Manson & co. are subsequently evicted as the rent wasn't being paid). Brian produces a poetry album with musical backing for his friend, poet Steve Kalinich. A World Of Peace Must Come remains unreleased for forty years. |
| September |
Brian produces a Columbia single, "I'll Keep On Loving You/As Tears Go By", for Ron Wilson (not the Surfaris drummer !). |
| December |
"Bluebirds Over The Mountain/Never Learn Not To Love" single is released and, "Surfin'" excepted, is, at #61, the lowest charting Beach Boys 45 of all time. Although not credited, the B side is a Charles Manson song minimally altered by Dennis. Mike & Suzanne separate on Christmas Eve. |