section_path: 1967–1973: Decline/Home studio transition
section_name: Home studio transition
paragraph_text: Home studio transition
  
  Smile was never finished, due in large part to Wilson's worsening mental condition and exhaustion. Associates often cite late 1966 as a turning point, coinciding with erratic behavior during sessions for the track " Fire " (or "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"). In April 1967, Wilson and his wife relocated to a newly purchased mansion on 10452 Bellagio Road in Bel Air. There, Wilson began constructing a personal home studio. By this time, most of his recent associates had departed or been excluded from his life.
  
  When I was younger, I was a real competitor. Then as I got older, I said, "Is it worth the bullshit? To compete like that?" And I said, "Nah." For a while there, I just said, "Hey, I'm going to coast. I'm going to make real nice music. Nothing competitive."
  
  In May, Derek Taylor announced that Smile had been "scrapped". Wilson explained in a 1968 interview, "We pulled out because I was about ready to die. I was trying so hard. So, all of a sudden I decided not to try any more." That July, the Beach Boys released " Heroes and Villains " as a single; its mixed critical and commercial reception further strained Wilson's morale, with biographers citing it as a factor in his professional and psychological decline. He later acknowledged that upholding his industry reputation "was a really big thing for me" and that he had grown weary of demands to produce "great orchestral stuff all the time".
  
  Beginning with Smiley Smile (September 1967), the band shifted recording operations to Wilson's studio, where they worked intermittently until 1972. The album marked the first time production was credited to the group collectively instead of Wilson alone. Producer Terry Melcher attributed this change to Wilson's reluctance to risk individual scrutiny, saying he no longer wanted to "put his stamp on records". In August 1967, Wilson briefly rejoined the band for two live performances in Honolulu, recorded for an unfinished live album titled Lei'd in Hawaii.
  
  During sessions for Wild Honey (December 1967), Wilson encouraged his brother Carl to contribute more to the record-making process. He also began producing tracks for Danny Hutton 's group Redwood, recording three songs including " Time to Get Alone " and " Darlin ' ", but the project was halted by Carl and Mike Love, who urged Brian to prioritize Beach Boys commitments. The band's June 1968 album Friends was recorded during a period of emotional recovery for Wilson. While the album featured increased contributions from other members, Wilson remained central, even on tracks he did not write. He later described Friends as his second "solo album" (after Pet Sounds) and his favorite Beach Boys album.
  
  Smile was never finished, due in large part to Wilson's worsening mental condition and exhaustion. Associates often cite late 1966 as a turning point, coinciding with erratic behavior during sessions for the track " Fire " (or "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"). In April 1967, Wilson and his wife relocated to a newly purchased mansion on 10452 Bellagio Road in Bel Air. There, Wilson began constructing a personal home studio. By this time, most of his recent associates had departed or been excluded from his life.
  
  When I was younger, I was a real competitor. Then as I got older, I said, "Is it worth the bullshit? To compete like that?" And I said, "Nah." For a while there, I just said, "Hey, I'm going to coast. I'm going to make real nice music. Nothing competitive."
  
  In May, Derek Taylor announced that Smile had been "scrapped". Wilson explained in a 1968 interview, "We pulled out because I was about ready to die. I was trying so hard. So, all of a sudden I decided not to try any more." That July, the Beach Boys released " Heroes and Villains " as a single; its mixed critical and commercial reception further strained Wilson's morale, with biographers citing it as a factor in his professional and psychological decline. He later acknowledged that upholding his industry reputation "was a really big thing for me" and that he had grown weary of demands to produce "great orchestral stuff all the time".
  
  Beginning with Smiley Smile (September 1967), the band shifted recording operations to Wilson's studio, where they worked intermittently until 1972. The album marked the first time production was credited to the group collectively instead of Wilson alone. Producer Terry Melcher attributed this change to Wilson's reluctance to risk individual scrutiny, saying he no longer wanted to "put his stamp on records". In August 1967, Wilson briefly rejoined the band for two live performances in Honolulu, recorded for an unfinished live album titled Lei'd in Hawaii.
  
  During sessions for Wild Honey (December 1967), Wilson encouraged his brother Carl to contribute more to the record-making process. He also began producing tracks for Danny Hutton 's group Redwood, recording three songs including " Time to Get Alone " and " Darlin ' ", but the project was halted by Carl and Mike Love, who urged Brian to prioritize Beach Boys commitments. The band's June 1968 album Friends was recorded during a period of emotional recovery for Wilson. While the album featured increased contributions from other members, Wilson remained central, even on tracks he did not write. He later described Friends as his second "solo album" (after Pet Sounds) and his favorite Beach Boys album.