“Not so good vibrations”: five collaborative autoethnographic accounts of Brian Wilson, his life, music, rock “n” recovery’

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the life of the musician Brian Wilson from five different perspectives. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a mixed method of collaborative autoethnography, psychobiography and digital team ethnography to try and better understand the life and contributions of Brian Wilson. Findings Each of the five contributors provides different insights into the life and music of Brian Wilson. Research limitations/implications While the focus of this paper is on a single individual, a case study, the long and distinguished life of Brian Wilson provides much material for discussion and theorising. Practical implications Each individual presenting to mental health services has a complex biography. The five different contributions articulated in this paper could perhaps be taken as similar to the range of professional opinions seen in mental health teams, with each focusing on unique but overlapping aspects of the person’s story. Social implications This account shows the importance of taking a biological-psychological-social-spiritual and cultural perspective on mental illness. Originality/value This multi-layered analysis brings a range of perspectives to bear on the life and achievements of Brian Wilson, from developmental, musical, psychological and lived experience standpoints.