Defend the Indefensible: Mike Love

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0247,tracker_writer.inc,37005,.html

heart "all i wanna do is mike love to you"
air supply "miking love out of nothing at all"
nik kershaw "you mike"

When Brian came up with the songs for Pet Sounds, Mike was less than pleased, apparently. I feel he did have a point. Not because they were bad, but the whole was more a personal statement, and as such should really have been a solo album. But they took it on anyway and learned to love it.

Smile, again, was even more so. Smiley Smile was a band album, and not a bad album, and not exactly sticking rigidly to the formula either. Their one mistake was not doing Monterey, as they would have won the crowd over with their current stuff.

Mike Love was a member of the Beach Boys, and had a valid opinion. Had Brian been a stronger person, he would have gone and made Pet Sounds and Smile by and for himself. That he did not, was not Mike Love's fault.

I move.

Now Van Dyke Parks never came up with a couplet as good as that!

Then again, as is my custom whenever a BB/Wilson/Love thread raises its head:

"We're gonna sing a song that everybody KNOWS!
Not some acid shit 'bout column ruin domi-NOES!"

scapegoats are important. and i do like his ba-ba dip-di-dip-di-dip's.

stamos, parks, charlie manson...being a beach boy evidently leads to strange bedfellows.

So how would you like to see Mike Love perish?

Some thing, man, you don't forgive.

The article potrayed a sorry bunch to be sure — Mike, Brian, his wife, everyone. But what I remember most was not Mike, but Sean O'Hagan — I mean, here he was, given the chance of a lifetime to produce The Last Great Beach Boys Album...and he acted surprised and hurt that they turned out to be overgrown children! I mean, how can someone like him, whose every note has been lifted from these guys, POSSIBLY be surprised, much less offended, by that?

It just seemed like the height of self-centeredness to me and confirmed my impression that it wasn't just one guy or anything that ruined this band — that if anything, the real villain was the sorry-ass excuse for a music industry and all the leeches surrounding it. You wanna pin it on Mike, fine — but one tiny hole does not a ship sink. Even one on wicked waters.

Of course not. And, well, Carl's dead now, so that's that. Thanks, Sean.

Well, aside from the fact it's not "shit," yeah. I mean, it's just a little pretentious is all.

RE: Why is meditation so important to you?

ML: People ask me about the Beach Boys all the time. But the only thing worth talking about is peace--inner peace and collective peace, or what I call peace with a capital "P" There are different things one can do to establish and hasten the peace process. Meditation is one way.

RE: What has meditation done for you personally? What would you be like today if you hadn't made this discovery?

ML: Without meditation, I'd probably be dead. It has allowed me to transcend all the bothersome things that happen during the course of a day, a week, a month, a career or a lifetime. I go beyond a certain level of thought. Some of those types of thoughts come from a stressed physiology. They appear in your mind as, "I want to kill that person," "I want to kick the dog," "I want to hurt my wife," "I want to emotionally abuse people."

In Paris, in December of 1967, my first meditation was taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi--the founder of the transcendental meditation program. The feeling I had, physiologically and emotionally, was one of tranquility and deep peace. I was more relaxed and tranquil than I'd ever been. During meditation your metabolism and your breath rate go down to a level of rest, twice that of deep sleep. But you're not asleep, you're aware. It was so profound I thought, "Wow, this is so easy and so powerful. I feel so relaxed. If everyone did this, the entire world would be a different place." It's still an inspiration to me, that first meditation.

RE: But how can meditation lead to peace with a capital "P"?

ML: The history of mankind is a history of war. Think about the Protestants and the Catholics, or the Shiites and the Sunnis, or the ongoing conflicts in Jerusalem, which is the focus of people of three different religions. They fight about everything. Mankind invents things to fight about. There have been thousands of wars in recorded history. But Maharishi has come up with a formula for world peace, which he believes can be achieved with large groups of meditators. When people meditate, they have a calming effect on others. Also, if you have large groups of people listening to gandharva-ved music, they will connect with each other whether they're meditating or not. Just by hearing, one can connect to the transcendental level and stabilize the environment. This will have a peaceful effect throughout creation.

RE: World peace is a dream of humankind. What's stopping us from achieving it?

ML: I think it's society and our problems, as well as a lack of information and a lack of priorities. People have jobs and houses and families. People are too busy to think about the big issues. We need to change that.

mike love to world: "what's with these stupid JOB things you have? can't you not work, like me? what's wrong with you? it's YOUR FAULT that there's hate and war in the world. if only you'd quit those stupid jobs..."

Kidding, Matos. Kidding.

stuff, I mean shit, we've been sayin' it for years down here. I mean, I like "Smile" just fine, and the rest of it...funny, I was playing my skeptical-about-the-Beach-Boys friend (he does not surf nor does he appreciate a good muscle car, but digs the Residents) the song "Johnny Carson" just the other day, telling him "this is what the Residents could've done, had they had more talent," being the smart-ass I am ("Eskimo" being some kind of tone-poem shit), and then right after that the news came on and said that JC was dead. The way he kept it up made me cry. Like B. Wilson during recording that song about the fire, I was convinced I'd made it happen.

Please use the line as much as possible, Matos.

lolllll
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/bad-vibrations-beach-boys-frontman-sacks-founders-on-anniversary-tour-8176117.html

"Brian is very bummed," said Wilson's manager, Jean Sievers.
Aw, man.

I have to accompany my other half to a meet and greet with them tomorrow before the gig, ulp...

can you show them the mike love + weirdos thread?
anyhoo, brian's having a great time in England -- look!
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maxe3u9vhF1qa6myvo1_250.jpg

What if I had it up on my IPhone in my pocket, ready to go, that'd be kinda awesome/weird and stalker-y

if you could get a photo of yourself + mike love + the mike love weirdos thread, the circle would be complete. i think.

Oh man, I'll try!!!

That would make the best thread ever even better! INFINITY PLUS

MIKE L∞VE

Mike "I am all the Beach Boys now" Love?

I chickened out :(

It was kinda heavy and I was a tag-along so I kept a respectful distance

Natalie Duncan liked him!

The Beach Boys were really friendly, especially Mike Love. He was hilarious. He kept talking to me throughout the whole filming, just talking away about how I should sing Etta James. And he was very disparaging about Public Image Ltd, which I found hilarious. But that really put me at ease.

So, the Beach Boys are on "Later" with Jools, along with Public Image Ltd and Muse? With NatDunc..

Since when did "Later" have *interesting* lineups?

The xx are on as well.

XP - Yea, he flirted with my wife a bit. :)

OK, shall I defend Mike Love?

There are two "Beach Boys"

One set can do "The Hits" and be the "Beach Boys Experience" type funfunfun-ness, the "standard" edition, and not be expensive ticketpricewise..

And the other set can do the "Deluxe / Directors Brew" for those buffs that insist on the 'authentic' experience, and pay higher ticket prices.

There's also the matter of the health of those guys. I'd have thought this would be a blessing to Brian, as he was pretty much talking about retiring after his "Gershwin" concerts were done.

*Spoiler Alert*

Last nights gig was interesting in a few ways:

They played for 3 1/2 hours, not including a 15 min interval.

Most of the concert was continuous, like a medley format but without actually truncating songs (most of the early ones are within the 3 min rule anyways)

It started off sounding as if it was gonna be chronological, then they dropped Disney Girls, but the concert was fairly biased to pre-'66.

They did a few weird covers (California Dreaming) but also some deep cuts, Add Some Music, Good Timing, All This is That and a lot of early tunes from off the beaten path like Kiss Me Baby and The Ballad of 'Ole Betsy.

There were far too many people on stage for the early numbers, like 5 Guitarists and 4 Keyboard players.

For the BW lovers, they did In My Room, H&V, Good Vibrations, Our Prayer.

TS: The Beach Boys' Inability to Get Along in 2012 vs. Van Halen's Inability to Complete a Tour in 2012

And he was very disparaging about Public Image Ltd, which I found hilarious.

Not that I'd expect Mike Love to be a fan but that PiL performance was the only thing on the whole show which wasn't totally appalling.

California Dreaming has been a Beach Boys thing for decades.

So I shall see, in all likelihood, BW's last ever show with the Beach Boys tonight. Bet he always hoped it would be on a cold, rainy autumn day in a shed in one of the unlovelier suburbs of north west London.

who's the bigger asshole, this clown or Peter Hook

California Dreaming has been a Beach Boys thing for decades.

― fit and working again, Friday, September 28, 2012 8:38 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

So we jumped up on the table
And shouted "anarchy"
And someone played a Beach Boys song
On the jukebox
It was "California Dreamin'"

so we started screamin!

who's the bigger asshole, this clown or Peter Hook

Mike Love has never produced anything as good as this:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0knc240fV1qz8kcpo1_400.gif

Peter Hook never produced anything as good as this thread Can we be shown weirdos + Mike Love?

I chickened out :(
you blew itttttttt!
jk, i would've chickened out too.

Srsly I could never do that.
I would be afraid to get that death stare right in the eyes.

f*ck ! not that gif again. for the love of ilm .. .

http://thecimmerian.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Clash-of-the-Titans_Original-Medusa.jpg
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0002/871/MI0002871235.jpg?partner=allrovi.com

CHILLING

Bruce Johnston radiated goodwill and coolness though so I guess he offsets the evilness.

Peter Hook never produced anything as good as this thread Can we be shown weirdos + Mike Love?

I feel sad I've never seen this thread until now!

best thread on ILM imo

why do people hate Peter Hook? I don't really pay attention to him.

well now he's gone and pissed off the Eagles

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-beach-boys-50th-anniversary-reunion-tour-eagles-20120928,0,7962939.story

Love's publicist mentioned in the story, Jay, is a friend of mine from hs. dude earns his money i'm thinking.

Tragic that the weirdo with the Rick Derringer shirt and the 'shopped eyeballs is missing from that thread now...

forget peter hook, the ultimate who is the bigger asshole contest is mike love v. don henley.

lol:

“Two things that we know for certain: Mr. Love will never allow the facts get in the way of his ramblings and he will never miss an opportunity to regurgitate his venom,” the Eagles’ spokesman wrote in a letter to Love’s publicist Jay Jones, which was copied to The Times. “Lest we forget, during his acceptance speech at the Beach Boys' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, which was ostensibly about the importance of harmony and how the Beach Boys ‘love all people,’ Mr. Love attacked Paul McCartney and Diana Ross for not being in the room. He then went on to say that ‘Mick Jagger has always been afraid to get on the stage with the Beach Boys."

“Since 1994 when the Eagles reunited, they have performed more than 600 shows worldwide,” the letter continued. “Neither the band nor its reps are aware of any promoter accusing them of being ‘overexposed.’ Regarding Mr. Love’s statement about Eagles tickets being sold for $5, according to our records that did happen on June 21, 1975, when the band performed at Wembley Stadium with the Beach Boys.”

yeah Love is a disaster. I'd feel bad for JJ but he prob makes stupid $$$ so

Francine Kelly at 5:25 PM September 28, 2012
Brian Wilson is William Porter Wilson's first cousin. Will Wilson is a high-level CIA official and King William of Orange, the true and current King of England. Both Brain and Will are Reptilian Draconian Vampires. I am Will's queen, wife, mother of his son, and a CIA MK-Ultra Project Monarch Intelligence Asset. I contacted Brian a couple of yars ago to give him this information. He never responded to me. I am concerned that Mike Love's "heartless" decision may really be a political one about bloodlines. Mike's decision came after I contacted Attorney John Gaines of Chicago-based Gaines & Puljic about seeing the son I conceived with Will. I have many reasons to believe that Will's brothers and Brian's first cousins -- John G. Wilson, Thomas S. Wilson and Francis S. Wilson III, all of Chicago -- abducted my son. Please Google Francine Kelly and The Reptilian Agenda for my YouTube interview with Greg Carlwood of Higherside Chats. See my intelligence reports on www.network54.com/forum/535171, and Google operation haystack agentfk for my interview with Jesse Randolph. I think it's high time the Wilson family takes responsibility for their actions. And please remember that just because Brian Wilson is an alien doesn't mean that he's not the great guy that everyone loves.

Uh.

mike love - misunderstood
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-mike-love-beach-boys-on-brian-wilson-20121004,0,6311413.story

That does sound about right.

re statement: Exactly!

An open letter to weirdos everywhere from Mike Love

And my job hasn’t changed in 50 years. I’m the lead singer of the Beach Boys and I am photographed with millions of weirdos worldwide.

Tell that to Johnny Rivers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUQAjwADXvM

mike as mick jagger doing "jumpin' jack flash" in 1975. some amazing moves at the 2 minute mark.

Guardian Interview, where he makes some pretty big songwriting claims. It also mentions a few facebook groups set up about him, but sadly not the 'Weirdos + Mike Love' thread

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2013/jul/04/beach-boys-mike-love-interview

Quote without comment:

Guardian: Whatever happened to your wonderfully titled proposed solo album, Mike Love Not War (alternate title Unleash the Love)?

ML: "I think it is a brilliant title and a necessary title … I have another album called First Love, which is Mike's first album. I've stockpiled these things for decades now, but we finally have a team to get my music out. There's a song called Going to the Beach, a Beach Boys summertime classic. Mike Love Not War is about the hopes and aspirations of those on the planet who like to see more positivity and harmony. I want to get a couple of people to sing with me on it."

Guardian: Anyone in mind?

ML: "Neil Young."

Do a whole album, call it Young - Love

Or perhaps more in tune with Mike himself, Love Young.

feel like mike love could do a whole album of neil young covers
Lotta Mike Love
Mike Love In Mind
Mike Love To Burn
Love And Only Mike Love
Mike Love Is A Rose
If You Got Mike Love
Only Mike Love Can Break Your Heart

mike love is a reliable villain. firing brian effing wilson from the beach boys last year was a masterstroke.

Only Mike Love Can Break Your Heart

LOL, how true all you Brian Wilson obsessives

I'd totally forgotten that Neil covered "Let's Go Away For Awhile" on Journey Through The Past

It wasn't even a cover IIRC, just a straight lift of the original. Always wondered what that was about.

it's in the movie -- i think neil just liked it? he was friends w/ the beach boys, anyway, in the charles manson days.

I haven't seen the movie, so that's why I didn't get it. Interesting to hear about the friendship, though I guess NY was West Coast and therefore socialized in the same circles as the BB.

Mike Love, Neil Young and Rick James walk into a bar together.

Bartender says, Hey, we don't allow any Manson Family members in here.

James turns to the other two and says, "You heard him! Young, Love! Get Out of This Bar!"

just made that up, *blows smoke off of typing fingers*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZSAQX2uuUY

LOL Mike starts at 3:50

That video is crazy!

Has anyone else seen that documentary about the troubled children of rock stars? It had the daughter of Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) who was very depressed, there might have been another child of a rock star, but the only one I remember is the son of Mike Love. Mike Love's son was talking about his great memories of Carl Wilson and other things, but then went on to saying that Mike Love just said "you're not my son" one day and immediately disowned him. He was still incredibly upset about it and he was demanding an explanation. For some reason, the show never told you who he was living with now, but he looked like he was still living in very good circumstances, riding quad bikes with his friends.
Strangely I cant find anything about this from searching around, but I did find this...

http://manvsclown.wordpress.com/2006/07/21/why-i-hate-mike-love/

... I cant read all of this right now, but it does have Mike Love's daughter defending him and some other people who know him.

Does anyone know any more about his disowned son?

Does Mike Love challenge Bruce Springsteen to hop on stage and kick out the jams? Because I've seen Bruce, and I've seen the Beach Boys, and I'm pretty sure Bruce can handle "I Get Around."

Well maybe not:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXckY2qzdUU

But I know Bruce can kick out the jams.

never gets old

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYc4DT18EJg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg302/leekpie/index.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/f816e1c9f285359130a9be487a1b1bbd/tumblr_mowm0fizad1sox5yho4_400.gif

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/jdx-prod-images/1375916251933_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x&stmp=1376318860022

i really like mike love's part in the chorus of "kiss me baby" where he's like "whoa baby". he's a great vocalist.

No arguments about that from this quarter

just received this email what is happening
I would like to offer for feature consideration in ________, a truly exceptional artist by the name of Mike Love. His debut album recently won "Reggae Album of the Year" at this years Hoku Awards and has earned praises from such artist as Jack Johnson:

"Mike Love is one of the most talented musicians I've ever played with. On his new album, 'The Change I'm Seeking,' that talent is obvious in his captivating songwriting and soulful performances. I'm thankful that he is sharing these beautiful songs with all of us."

~ Jack Johnson

"earned praises from such artists as jack johnson" - jack johnson

that's not how quote marks work.

Er, this ain't the same Mike Love.

The version of Big Sur on Landlocked, that's probably worth it. It's Love, right?

Er, this ain't the same Mike Love.

Nah, he died in 1946

"earned praises from such artists as jack johnson" - jack johnson

ahahah !

Er, this ain't the same Mike Love.
ha yes, just weird that someone would perform under the name mike love (even if it is his real name).

http://i.imgur.com/dBT2CwO.png

missing a hat

"Mount Pleasant" could be the title of a track/album by Mike Love.

Like...er... "Surfing/Cruising on Mount Pleasant".

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1005017_601511403248932_296335366_n.jpg

http://manvsclown.wordpress.com/2006/07/21/why-i-hate-mike-love/

You want to see this: there are people who know, on this thread.

Q: ...You had just then become interested in TM. Not too long after, the Beatles, who had become very active, all of a sudden turned their backs on it. Did that bother you that they would do that whole number and then denounce it?
ML: Sure it bothered me. Bothered me plenty.
Q: Could you ever figure out why...?
ML: Yeah, 'cause they're stupid, mainly. See, they just didn't understand what the Maharishi was talking about...they were still on a Magical Mystery Tour of dope and stuff like that. They wanted to see phenomena -- they asked Maharishi, "Could I see a levitating blanket?" and stuff like that, and he's talking about evolution of the world -- stuff that was a little more pertinent to everyone. What hurt me, really, is I saw four guys that could have been a real big help to evolution in using their position, and they didn't.

https://woodsononline.wordpress.com/2015/10/13/ktru-tuesdays-beach-boys-interview/

heh

Yes, the Beatles would have been much better salesmen for TM than Mike Love.

hey Mike Love can sell CARS, he can sell SURFING, he can sell GIRLS, dude can sell anything

I'd actually really like to see him become a pitchman in his golden years. "Hey, this is Mike Love. Look, just...buy a goddamn Keurig already, okay? Don't be an idiot. Namaste."

Mike Love's Don't Fuck With The Formula Infant Formula

Mike Love's Reverse Mortgages are Fun Fun Fun!

Mike Love's Be True to Your School's Student Loan Refinancing Program

"As you get older, you realize that some of those vibrations aren't so good. Hello, I'm Mike Love from the Beach Boys, and on behalf of the Parkinson's Disease Foundation..."

HATS, fercryinoutloud! The man should be selling baseball hats.

Mike Love's Baseball Hat of The Month Club! The Best Hats With Logos You've Never Heard Of!

http://i.imgur.com/IxCfncT.jpg

I'd actually really like to see him become a pitchman in his golden years. "Hey, this is Mike Love. Look, just...buy a goddamn Keurig already, okay? Don't be an idiot. Namaste."

― Skin Boherts (Old Lunch), Tuesday, October 13, 2015 1:33 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this made me spit out my drink b/c laughter

And here we go -- a huge new Rolling Stone article/interview

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-ballad-of-mike-love-20160217

Pretty great piece, except for the writer's (or editor's) reflexive insistence that Brian Wilson has any talent left at all.

there is something sad and grimly amusing about a guy who's devoted 40+ years to transcendental meditation and remains a crotchety, testy jerk.

"if he were a fish, he'd be a plastic bag wrapped around the neck of a beautiful sea lion."

lol who said this

there is something sad and grimly amusing about a guy who's devoted 40+ years to transcendental meditation and remains a crotchety, testy jerk.

― wizzz! (amateurist), Wednesday, February 17, 2016 6:54 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Now imagine what he'd be like without the transcendental meditation!

Still, there are bigger jerks still walking the Earth from that period... Ginger Baker most notably!

And here we go -- a huge new Rolling Stone article/interview

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-ballad-of-mike-love-20160217🔗

Pretty great piece, except for the writer's (or editor's) reflexive insistence that Brian Wilson has any talent left at all.

This piece in a lot of ways is the definitive piece on Mike – something only Brian devotees probably care about but care about nonetheless. It pretty much covers every possible angle – the lawsuits, Brian's mental illness, his role in the songwriting, Smile, etc. And it includes every defense and retort—even ending with him tearing up—but you end up with the same guy we've disliked for years, more or less: a bitter jerk who remains deluded about the role he played in the Beach Boys' success.

it's funny when ridiculously rich people are still unhappy because they don't have *enough*

it's not about the money, it's about the RESPECT

piles and piles of respect

also hats

Cue the weirdos, that's about all Mike's good for these days.

"Why am I the villain?"

Because you are one of pop music's greatest jerkfaces.

LOLing at the TM comments. Seriously, imagine how horrible he'd be without it!

"a little wobbly in the mind since 1968"

No wonder Mike bristles at this. Brian Wilson is not "a little wobbly."

LOLing at the TM comments. Seriously, imagine how horrible he'd be without it!

he'd be ted nugent, probably.

this is so weird and awkward

Most of those bugs, of course, have Brian's name on them, leading one to wonder what he might say to Brian if Brian magically appeared here right now?

How would you greet him?

"Oh, OK, well ... "

Jackie speaks up. "Let me be Brian," she says.

Love looks alarmed. "No, no, no, no," he says.

But it's too late. Jackie has hopped onto her chair and is towering over her husband, both magnifying the actual height difference of the two men by about three feet and reducing the actual distance between them by about 450 miles. She puts on a deep voice. She's Brian now.

"Mike, hey, Mike!" she says.

Mike is held speechless. Finally, he says, "What?"

"That's what you would say?" Jackie asks.

He laughs, awkwardly, and gives it his best shot. "Hi, Brian, what's happening?"

Deep voice. "Hey, Mike. I found you. Ya know, dude, what are we gonna do? I miss you, Mike."

Love drops out of the moment. "Brian probably would say that. If he had the ability." He giggles nervously.

Jackie isn't satisfied. She gets serious with him. "I don't want to make you cry, but would you greet him as being your cousin and collaborator in music first, or just as a collaborator? OK, so I'm Brian. You're seeing me. Express the personal part of it. What would you say?"

Many, many seconds go by.

"I'd probably say, 'I love you,'" he says, moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes. "'And I love what we did together. And let's do it again.'" But then he gives his head a shake, narrows his eyes, any wetness there drying up, frowns and once again gives voice to what no amount of meditation can ever smooth over. "I've been ostracized," he says quietly. "Vilified. In other words, fucked with." He looks around for agreement. When none is forthcoming, he says, "Pass me the water, please," and, in such a way, lets it be known that some things will never change.

he's like the closest thing we have to gollum

he's like if gollum had smaug money

It's really funny that he tries to play up how much more seriously he took his experiences in India than those dumb Beatles, when according to others who were there, Love was the one bringing in boxes of batteries and other western goods to flog to the Maharishi's followers. Totally fucking spiritual.

that's one of the more hilarious ironies about him - his big spiritual revelation was that he could cop some stress-relief techniques and still be a greedy womanizing asshole! it's win/win!

The Smiths poll thread and all these Beach Boys threads have got me imagining what it would be like to have Mike Love and Morrissey in the same band.

"What are these? Lyrics? What a fucking bummer!"

Trudging slowly over wet sand, tropical drink melting in your hand

"How about instead of all this limey shit about a double-decker bus, let's make it a dune buggy?"

"What if we changed it from 'hang the DJ' to 'have a great day'?"

"Girlfriend In A Coma"? Lame ... How about "Girlfriend At Point Loma"!

"Keep the part about the girl from Luxembourg--I like girls!"

'Last night I dreamed that even Mike Loved me.."

the flesh you so fancifully fry
smells neat so give it a try

Mike is a vegetarian!

so was hitler

Mike Love, one of the founding members of the Beach Boys and the only original member that still tours under the band’s name, is getting “Good Vibrations” from a diet mostly without animal products.

Love has cut out all red meat and chicken from his plate.

“I’m 90 per cent vegetarian,” Love said. “I favor vegetables and stuff like that.”

"...and human souls, of course!"

“I favor vegetables.......except when I sue them in court for songwriting credits and royalties."

"There Is A Tide That Never Goes Out"

"How about instead of 'Suffer Little Children', which is such a fuckin' downer, dude, we change it to "Surfin' Little Children" instead?"

"Okay, on four, and don't fuck with the formula!"

"Upon the beach, take me to the beach, dig me a sandpit and I'll lay me down... Ooh baba-lu-ba hmm papa mmm mow-m-mow awwwooooooohhh!"

if a ten foot wave crashes into us ...

"Rumour has it that Morrissey quit the Queen Is Dead project in disgust after Love demanded he explain the precise meaning of the lyric 'Ere long done do does did'."

"I Won't Share You?" Sounds kinda negative, Steven. How about we make it something FUN, like, say..."I Went Surfing"?

Barbara-Annism Begins at Home

Let Him Run Wilde

"Frankly, Mr. Shankly, since you ask, the girls in Spain are a gas"

Some Curls Are Bigger Than Others

End of the pier, end of the bay
You tug my arm, and say: "I'm a leaf on a windy day
Pretty soon I'll be blown away
How long will the wind blow?"

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Mike.

"....to the place where Mike's clothes were stolen"

very depressing that the piece mentions his "meditation" so often, this guy who's main takeaway from his time with the maharishi was that he didn't have to give up his rolls royce...

also, is al jardine really the ringo of the beach boys? and then who is mike meant to be? john?

a very bitter Mal Evans

lol

"What if we changed it from 'hang the DJ' to 'have a great day'?"

― Οὖτις, Monday, February 22, 2016 8:31 PM (Yesterday)

someone needs to actually record this

Am I the only one who thinks it was a beautiful coincidence that Mike name-checked "Do It Again" in his imaginary tearful reunion with Brian?

That whole bit was omg jaw-dropping.

(xp) Maybe he gets a royalties every time he quotes it.

(xp) Well Mike has been involved in some weird scenes before...

"Mike was carrying a two-gallon glass jug of apple juice everywhere he went," said Vail, "kind of like a security blanket. Apparently the doctor realized Mike was right on the edge, and he was about to give him a sedative when Mike saw what was coming and became very neurotic. He jumped up and fled the room." When he came out into the reception room, where Vail was waiting, he threw the jug of apple juice at him, and it smashed against the wall. A second later Mike was gone. He leaped into his car and took off with Fred Vail following him. "He was flipping out, and we went everywhere; it was like the Steve McQueen chase in Bullitt..."

Am I the only one who thinks it was a beautiful coincidence that Mike name-checked "Do It Again" in his imaginary tearful reunion with Brian?

I don't think this was a coincidence at all!

the apple juice story never gets old, although I think I like the "let's build a floating new age hospital in the shape of a pyramid off the coast of california" scheme to be slightly more entertaining

http://media2.fdncms.com/metrotimes/imager/u/original/2392358/71nfznxn5ml._sl1300_.jpg

just noticed that he is the only one in the photo not feeding goats

mike love hates goats

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12651211_10153946983453928_4897791446880449359_n.jpg?oh=c201890244249ee0d51d9b630ee3bdfa&oe=5769AC7C

he fed goats he even put one on the cover instead of bruce

i'm not convinced

pic was taken just before he snapped that poor lil goat's neck. drank its blood.

listen, buddy, I don't care if you believe me: I wrote every single fucking one of those 'ba-ba-bas'

"Those goats were always too chicken shit to get onstage with The Beach Boys"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbxD7hAybLk

Woah

He's a ladies man.

I didn't know Alan Partridge narrated Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous.

Also, Mike Love is 75 today. Happy Birthday, Baldy.

Happy birthday, Mike, hope you spend it with some weirdoes and have lots of pictures taken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtC0wsP6FCo

Just realized that Mike wrote "(Bop Bop) On the Beach" – the Beach Boys-y tune credited to The Flirts and Jan and Dean in The Karate Kid in the scene near the beginning when Daniel gets his butt kicked on the beach. Bet Mike liked that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxA5r44cB68&feature=youtu.be

And now there's this.

http://observer.com/2016/06/for-the-love-of-mike-love-its-time-to-destroy-the-legend-of-brian-wilson/

Amazing comment via FB on this from Michael Fennelly:

I never pass up an opportunity to tell my Mike Love story about the time he came over to the house where Curt Boettcher and several of us Millennium members lived, in Beechwood Canyon, to discuss the Beach Boys' interest in helping us establish a record label. Mike showed up drunk, and was obnoxious, and unpleasant. Our drummer, Ron Edgar had a lovely German shepherd who had one very serious issue - Ron could NEVER get her house-broken. As Mike was heading out, having insulted us sufficiently, he reached for the door handle and stepped in a massive pile the dog had left in the foyer. He uttered "Shit!" and left. The dog got a lot of love that night...

Wait, what?

I barely give a fuck who Mike Love has his picture taken with, or what political candidates he supports, or how he may stumble in public speeches; he is a gentle and kind man whose heart is in the right damn place,

"Gentle and kind" are not words I would readily associate with Mike Love.

This is clearly some next-level clickbait trash.

p weird article -- it's not like "the legend of brian wilson" is somehow to blame for brian not leaving the band after 1967. (did he even want to leave? did the others want him to leave? who exactly is the writer of this stupid article yelling at?)

The idea that post 67 beach boys is seen in terms of a missed opportunity instead of celebrated for the stuff they did accomplish. Worrying about this feels like what I imagine hell to be like.

Why, of all the Beach Boys, did they send Mike Love to meet with Curt Boettcher?

Had I been alive to do so, stepping in dog shit at the Millennium house would be up there with the highlights of my life, that Love probably doesn't remember doing so is indefensible.

Tried to read that article, but stopped after "Tim Sommer."

Ric Ocasek
Todd Rundgren
Lou Reed
Paul Simon
Mike Love

What's with all the 'bubbelah,' etc.stuff in that article?

I barely give a fuck who Mike Love has his picture taken with

are they referring to Can we be shown weirdos + Mike Love?

How sweet would that be?

He's referring to Love being photographed with Trump this week.

What's with all the 'bubbelah,' etc.stuff in that article?

Wondering maybe if this is a bit of an opening salvo in the attempt to rehab Mike's image before the memoir is released. I mean, the writer did try to defend the indefensible.

I can't defend a lot of Tim Sommer's professional activities (eg signing Hootie), or the way he and every WNYU DJ shouted into the mic in the early '80s, but he was awful cute when he was an MTV newsmonger a quarter-century ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Sommer

And I do believe political morons can be decent folks otherwise, and love any allusions to Paul Simon treating little ppl like garbage. No interest in the touring Beach Boys tho.

http://www.people.com/article/charles-manson-confronted-beach-boy-mike-love-in-shower

lol

"He started passing out LSD tabs and was orchestrating sex partners," Love writes. "I love the female form, but this was too much."

"Something told me this was not your average acid-fueled gangbang sesh," he continues. "The vibrations, shall we say, were not good."

Wasn't Neil Young was into it? And didn't Mike and Al take to calling Manson "Pigpen" at the Stephen Desper session?

Aside from what would be Bruce's assuredly safe, affable response, I'd really like to know the date as it compares to Andrew G Doe's timeline:

http://esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs68.html

In ‘Good Vibrations,’ Summer Fun Soured by Mike Love’s Score Settling

So Mike went to dinner at Dennis' house with Bruce Johnston and just decides to take a shower? How does that work? And where was Bruce?

Also, Squeaky is alive and free.

XP Needed to wash off the stench of weirdos...

"I never lose sight of the overwhelming positivity of our music,"

"and that's why i've relentlessly sued all of my former colleagues for several decades, because positivity."

i was kind of half willing to be sympathetic to mike love but then i read this excerpt from the NYT review:

He can be inadvertently hilarious when he explains those lyrics word by word, as in the first lines of “Be True to Your School.” I will admit to knowing and loving them: “When some loud braggart tries to put me down/ and says his school is great.”

Now we have Mr. Love’s explanation for his word choice. “‘Braggart, to my ears, is more formal than ‘bragger,’ so I thought our more erudite fans would appreciate the subtlety,” he says.

what a hopeless fuckwad he is.

he thinks people like the beach boys b/c of his "erudite" lyrics

is bragger even a word

like congratulations on using proper English words Mike, good job, really puts the song over the top

"when some boisterous braggart makes a vain effort to defame me / and claims that his alma mater is without peer..."

beach boys lyrics but like all stodgy and proper english and shit

Seems like Mike is still defending against replacing his words with Van Dyke Parks. December '66 isn't over!

"when some boisterous braggart makes a vain effort to defame me / and claims that his alma mater is without peer..."

is this a chap-hop song

i had never heard of that "movement" until now! interesting and maybe a little stomach-churning.

me neither until I read the "worst fads of the 21st century" thread.

thanks ilx! for better or worse, til death do us part

on balance, I don't think I like Mike Love, however, if nothing else, he (allegedly) managed to sit down with Brian and coax "Warmth of the Sun" out of him, so, I'm just gonna give him a pass.

I quite like his vocals on "Do It Again" as well

I think P. Bagge was right, if you can't at least appreciate Mike Love on some level you don't really love the Beach Boys

yeah, mike love contributes plenty of awesome stuff to the beach boys' music. and yeah, he is a hopeless fuckwad.

"plenty of awesome stuff" seems a bit generous.

"plenty of awesome hats"

"lots of scalp"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfilXmU4ReM

Is that Trump at 0:10?

I would also like to advance the theory that there is no one else in the world that could have taken the lead vocal on "Roller Skating Child" and made it sound both natural and somehow acceptable in the context of the record. somehow.

So cold i go brrrrr

what exactly does he think he's doing in that video compilation? is he showing off his breath control?

prob something he picked up from the maharishi

love Bruce Johnston popping up to rally the crowd

"plenty of awesome stuff" seems a bit generous.
i dunno, as a vocalist, he's pretty key for me on the 60s stuff, whether he's singing back up or lead. Defending the indefensible here, I know.

He definitely is key to Good Vibrations, among other things

what exactly does he think he's doing in that video compilation? is he showing off his breath control?

― wizzz! (amateurist), Saturday, September 3, 2016 3:53 PM (four hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Attracting sheep.

Mike Love is absolutely indispensable to the classic 60's stuff - he wrote the hook and most of the rest of the lyrics to "Good Vibrations" - which were a vast improvement on the original lyrics by Tony Asher, who did fantastic work on Pet Sounds - along with most of the words and probably at least half of the vocal hooks on "I Get Around," "Help Me Rhonda," and "California Girls." I would never argue that Love was a better musician than the two other Wilson brothers, but by sheer force of his own confidence/narcissism he was easily the #2 creative force during the group's 1962-1966 commercial peak.

Perhaps the most preeningly obvious heel in rock and roll history, ML is still nowhere near as malevolent an antagonist in Brian Wilson's life story as Murry Wilson or, god, Eugene Landy. But he's clearly a horrible person, even by rock star standards - Steven Gaines' lurid BBs biography details multiple instances where Mike beats the shit out of his wife and/or kids, and that's only in the 1960s. I'm sure the abuse didn't stop there.

Mike's decision to replace Asher's lyrics on Good Vibrations seems driven by royalties. The Feb. '66 version was not done on 8 track, no editing, etc. Mostly Brian and Carl on the initial instrumental. Speculations who is the muse have been fun to track (Loren Daro has chimed in on that subject).

The months between that Feb. version and the final Sept. '66 session at CBS 8-track is an entire soap opera unto itself, with Suzanne Belcher and Mike being 1 year into their relationship. She's the one famous for taking Mike's dictation of the lyrics the way to the studio.

Dennis "converted" Suzanne to the Wilson camp. Mike and Suzanne's divorce came Dec. 24, '68, and it was Bruce who testified on Mike's behalf. All while Dennis was in the press praising Charles Manson.

http://www.smileysmile.net/uncanny/media/users/djm/scan02SMALL.jpg

Well guess what someone got me for my birthday

A picture of Mike Love with Cordwainer Smith?

Mike Love's tighty-whities

A baseball cap embroidered with the word "weirdo"

A signed first edition of Time Enough For Mike Love, by Robert Anson Heinlein?

A copy of the Spinal Tap/Beach Boys collaboration Smell Mike Love?

excellent guesses everyone but no - friend said the bookstore he went to "was all out of the new Brian Wilson autobio AND the new John Stamos autobio" so he got me a copy of the new Mike Love autobio. Will commence hate-reading shortly.

B-b-but was there not a John Cowsill bio available for purchase?

Please to live blog.

within the first ten pages he is bragging about a musical performance he gave at the age of 2 "with much aplomb" also his entire family is a long line of multi-talented self-made geniuses dontchaknow

also as a kid he would "add some harmonies" when mariachis came to his family's table at a restaurant

Feel like this thing is going to stray into Zelig territory before long.

i liked his book! the brian wilson book is LIGHT YEARS better. it's written in Brian's non linear, all over the place voice it's great.

reading that now, and yeah, it's really fun -- and definitely all over the place. Anecdote digressions within anecdote digressions

This book is really good tbh. Mike's essential assholishness (and his obliviousness to it) comes through, but really he has lots of great stories

i read brian's first autobiography a long time ago, the weird ghostwritten one which is like 50% about how great and misunderstood eugene landy is

Lol yeah i didnt go near that one

this book continues to be pretty entertaining, much better than I was expecting tbh. Maybe the most eyebrow-raising thing is the bit about Dennis returning from visiting Manson at the studio and being freaked out because he had just witnessed Manson murdering a black man (which I believe is alluded to as an unsolved/unsubstantiated murder in Bugliosi's Helter Skelter...? It's not the Lotsapoppa Crowe shooting, cuz that shooting didn't happen at the ranch and he didn't die.)

Wait, what? Holy shit.

Sooo...Dennis and/or Mike could've potentially helped forestall the subsequent murder spree? WTF.

"I thought about calling the police, but then I remembered I had to finish writing the lyrics to 'Transcendental Meditation,' which was a really important song."

yeah this is def well before the Tate/Labianca murders, and before Dennis abandoned his house to the Family

You Thought I Was a Dick Before: The Mike Love Story

aka Asshole Demonstration Time

i imagine dennis was in a pretty constant psychedelic state at the time, so maybe mike just thought it was a wacky hallucination?

https://cbskluv2.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/mike_love.jpg

I heard a similar story about 10 years ago about that song ... I believe I heard it on Casey Kasem's Top 40 when I was a young lass. According to memory, Mike and Dennis were hanging out and Dennis confessed he'd seen Charlie kill a guy and he didn't stop to help him, just sat there and watched. Anyway years later Dennis drowned in Marina del Rey and Mike later tracked this guy down who he'd heard didn't help rescue Dennis and sent him front row tickets to a nearby concert. The guy showed up and Mike sang "Kokomo" at him while staring at him the whole time.

here is the full excerpt:

In May 1969, in an interview with 'Rave', Dennis was asked if he was afraid of anything. "Sometimes the Wizard frightens me - Charlie Manson is another friend of mine who says he is God and the devil! He sings, plays, and writes poetry and may be another artist for Brother Records."

Around that time, Dennis' illusions about Manson finally ended, when he paid a visit to Spahn Ranch. Upon his return, Dennis stopped by Brian's house, where I was working in the studio. Dennis was visibly shaken, and I asked what was wrong.

"I just saw Charlie take his M16 and blow this black cat in half and stuff him down the well," he said, referring to a black man.

Dennis was too frightened to go to the police. I think he was just hoping that Manson and his family would disappear, but his entanglement could not be undone."

O_O

Mike's got plenty of harsh words for everybody (including himself) and Dennis and Brian are not spared, really, but ultimately they are more like tragic figures, just undone by their own demons. In terms of their late 60s/early 70s work, I do sympathize with Mike's inability unable to separate what is (imo) amazing music from personally awful circumstances. Sorta similar to Dylan being mystified at how well "Blood on the Tracks" was received (although I don't think Bob was ever quite in the mentally damaged/drug abused states that Dennis and Brian were)

he also recounts several stories I'd heard before but had previously suspected of being hyperbolic - including Dennis bringing in a prostitute from off the street in order to record her having sex with him for an overdub on "All I Wanna Do" (which is clearly audible in the coda), Rocky Pamplin and Stan Love beating the shit out of Dennis in the late 70s, David Frost being involved in Brian copping heroin in Australia on a late 70s tour, etc.

He also says Shawn Love's paternity was never established.

That's 'All I Want To Do' not 'All I Wanna Do' (I don't understand why they released such similarly-titled songs within such a short span of time either). And yeah, I always figured the sex noises were staged.

I probably need to read this thing. Dammit.

ha right sorry I always mix those two up

I'm up to the part in the book where he gives a detailed breakdown of the lyrics to Kokomo (no such luck with "Wrinkles", unfortunately)

the kokomo part was my favorite. especially when he talks about his chuck berry-like use of alliteration and then quotes a chunk of lyrics with literally no alliteration other than repetition of the same words

haha yes I noticed that too

The Mike Love that oversells the brilliance of his lyrical contributions is my favorite Mike Love.

Someone defend this monstrosity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7SmgdvPpQY

that song was written by Brian = it's not all bad. Although I had no idea Brian ever performed with Celebration and that sure looks like him on the right wtf!?

was a little surprised at how pissed Mike was about "That's Why God Made the Radio" - didn't realize he was shut out of writing on almost all of it lol

holy crap @ some of this stuff. i didn't think the BBs story could get much darker than the stuff in the steven gaines book.

Is there a Defend the Indefensible: Dennis Wilson thread yet?

his crimes seem more personal than musical imo

altho Alfred probably begs to differ

Big Sur on Landlocked! It's great. It's Mike Love, no?

yup

Ok, he's worth it for that alone. Also, I'm going to say it, I like Student Demonstration Time.

yeah that's brian.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/the-beach-boys-confirm-trump-inauguration-invite-havent-made-decision-yet/

hat synergy

Potential for thread-ending photo

Oh oops thought this was the mike love+weirdos thread

I know the dude who ghost wrote this for Mike – think I may have to read this now as well.

It's good!

anyone read both mike's and brian's books? taking a trip soon and was thinking of bringing one of these to read.

Mike's book is great! Haven't gotten the Brian one yet.

yeah the praise here convinced me to read mike's book at some point... just wondering what brian's is like in comparison.

He keeps the Tommy Bahama brand in business so he's indirectly a job creator.

Kind of a jack ass https://t.co/DPBbnSmgUS

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) May 5, 2017

oh man, you know you're a real nuclear-grade bastard when even david crosby thinks you're a jack ass

The most direct and open praise of Love from his peers that I've seen lately is from Dean Torrence, via the new Ugly Things feature interview.

he's always going off about mike love on there. the doors too

mike's book was ok. seemed like half of it was beach boys stories rehashed (and heavily quoted) from other books, with mike inserting inoffensive opinions. there's stuff that had little to do with mike that gets covered, like dennis and manson. it's better when mike talks about things specific to himself, like meditation and going to india, and i wish the book had more of this. he offers reasonable refutations for stories about himself, but i had to laugh at his claim about the rock and roll hall of fame speech. he says what he was actually doing was calling out jagger to take part in a charity event.

also, when he mentions how he started wearing hats to cover baldness he makes it sound like nobody had ever done that before.

mike love invented hats

everyone thinks Brian's a genius for inventing bathrobes, but what about the fucking HATS man

I wonder how long it took for Mike to get through a take of 'Til I Die' without immediately following the line "It kills my soul" with a deep sigh and a "Goddamn it, Brian."

NEW ALBUM EVERYONE!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLUmfXMVoAA2nfQ.jpg:large

Mike Love - Unleash The Love Official Tracklist

Mike Love Originals:
Side A
All the Love in Paris featuring Dave Koz on Saxophone
Getcha Back featuring John Stamos on Drums
Daybreak Over the Ocean
I Don't Wanna Know
Too Cruel
Crescent Moon

Side B
Cool Head, Warm Heart
Pisces Brothers
Unleash The Love
Ram Raj
10,000 Years Ago featuring John Stamos on Drums
Only One Earth
Make Love Not War

Mike Love/Beach Boys Re-Records:
Side A
California Girls
Do It Again featuring Mark McGrath and John Stamos
Help Me Rhonda
I Get Around
Warmth of the Sun featuring Ambha Love
Brian's Back

Side B
Kiss Me Baby
Darlin' featuring AJR
Wild Honey featuring John Cowsill
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Good Vibrations
Fun Fun Fun

man he really never gets tired of re-recording shit

Cool Head, Warm Heart

Brian's Back...NOT!!!!

"Brian's Back (on my shitlist)"

"Brian's Back (Needs a Rub)"

"Brian's Back... Alright!"

was gonna mention that mike has rerecorded "do it again" twice now but noticed that brian is also guilty of rerecording this not-especially-great song too.

Looking forward to Mike's new dirge-like arrangement of 'Brian's Back (A Lamentation)'.

That's a dove, not a love.

No "TM Song"??

'Brian's Back (in the USSR)'

I am surprised he neglected 'Student Demonstration Time'. Probably didn't want to give the snowflakes any ideas.

that album cover is a real visual assault

I actually love everything about this and WILL be buying a vinyl copy of the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4inGP8qMnPE

a shame he didn't go for the obvious "Mike Love Not War" song title.

that's a different album

I want his next album cover to be nothing but a photo of a glove embroidered with his initials.

Think about it.

my glove not yours

This classic shot would’ve been a better choice over that dove photo. Someone please PhotoShop it ASAP. pic.twitter.com/LOX1U11eCi

— Drew O'DOHERTY (@drewodoherty) October 5, 2017

He's not unleashing that anywhere near me.

my fucking eyes ;_;

that was the day they became the Beach Men

All I can see is a penis and he's clapping his hands.

improved cover (borrowed from https://twitter.com/LilEdit)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLZhfEcUEAAYNQ_.jpg:large

He needs to save that shot for an album entitled Namaste.

there was a point where Mike Love could sing, right?

"YOU'RE TOO CHICKEN SHIT TO SHARE A STAGE WITH THE BEACH BOYS!"

THE LOVE IS UNLEASHED.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGZRF90j6o

And getting hot with the Koz...Dave Koz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgmloe5Tb04

Finally that "Darlin'" remake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj8gfeSG-TU

Hahah that first one sounds like Jason Mraz or some such crap.

squeaky's not avin it:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DPTo3HSWkAA1SOr.jpg

holy shit

Not feeling the love

So not happening

Sticky situation

One weirdo you won't see w/Mike Love.

squeaky remonstration time

Uhhh...

just saw that excerpt on twitter and I’m howling

Mike Love literally worse than Manson? lol

currently sitting at 0.82 on RYM. after listening to it, I can say it is certainly not *that* bad, but if being a total jerkoff is a 1-star penalty then the rating makes sense.

second disc is hilarious by the way. the amount of auto-tune on this record makes me nauseous.

Meanwhile it's sitting at 4.5/5 on Amazon, described by one reviewer as "One of the best solo albums by a beach boy and a sincere effort by Mike Love."

"One of the best solo albums by a Beach Boy" has to be some of the faintest musical praise in history.

lol at ‘a sincere effort’ - he’s doing his best, guys

Better than Al Jardine's "A Postcard from California"!?

i did a track by track review

Ok I'm going to listen to the new Mike Love album Unleash The Love now.

— 🦇 Chaki 🦇 (@AskChaki) November 21, 2017

Haven't heard any of it yet but if it's better than Pacific Ocean Blue I will eat a baseball cap

He's back!

Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue: Beach Boy Mike Love covers the Ramones classic "Rockaway Beach." "https://t.co/v1M7wfOj8A

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine (@sterlewine) May 30, 2019

Imagine "Commando" in the style of "Kokomo." In fact, imagine "Commando" as the direct prequel to "Kokomo."

what is happening

why is happening

Sixty plus years of existence and the Beach Boys will always be this tangled mess, finally turning into the full Jarndyce v Jarndyce it always was. The lawsuits will never be resolved in the end, I suspect.

Message from @BrianWilsonLive: “It has been brought to my attention that on Wednesday February 5, The Beach Boys touring group licensed by Mike Love are headlining at the Safari Club International Convention in Reno, Nevada...” https://t.co/pWDByRcjlA

— Paul Myers (@pulmyears) February 3, 2020

Mike Love: (shoots gorilla in the temple) Namaste.

Isn't there supposed to be like a registered trademark symbol after 'The Beach Boys Touring Group Licensed by Mike Love'?

Mike Love: (shoots gorilla in the temple) Namaste.

LOL'ing in dentist's office; thanx, O.L.

I've always wondered - what is the source/story behind that photo of stripe-shirted Mike Love screaming from the stage, apparently in a white hot rage? you know the pic I mean...

no

https://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/Louisville/Louisville/2014/02/05//1391609558019-Beach-boys-65-7.jpg?width=1280

this one, apparently from a show at Freedom Hall in Louisville in 1964

*mike love voice* my buddies and me are gettin real well known/for our bad faith takes and the brutal self-owns

— brad shoup (@bshoup) February 2, 2020

he's probably singing

Pretty sure that photo was from the first live performance of 'Transcendental Meditation'? I think they made the right choice in giving Brian the lead in the recorded version.

I'd like to speculate that 'Transcendental Meditation' was Brian taking the piss out of the concept by making an atonal jazz-influenced song

The most effective pisstake of TM imo is that thing where Mike Love practiced TM for decades. Good one, Mike!

Chippy sourpuss George Harrison was not exactly a great advert for TM either. Not to mention crazed egomaniac, Donovan.

Or noted weirdo David Lynch!

People also cite the extremely cranky David Lynch, who dedicates much of his time & energy to promoting TM, as a poor advocate for it. But imagine how much more visibly angry these folks would be without spending hours a day centering and calming themselves.

of all the most famous proponents, Lynch is probably the best one tbh

lol xpost

But imagine how much more visibly angry these folks would be without spending hours a day centering and calming themselves

Very fair point

Maybe it’s been asked before, but what makes Transcendental Meditation better than regular meditation?

Listen to the song, it explains everything.

It's cool!

gets you feeling grand iirc

Sixty plus years of existence and the Beach Boys will always be this tangled mess, finally turning into the full Jarndyce v Jarndyce it always was. The lawsuits will never be resolved in the end, I suspect.

― Ned Raggett

it's spelled "jardine"

this one, apparently from a show at Freedom Hall in Louisville in 1964

― Οὖτις

having seen the cover to "chunga's revenge" he's obviously bored out of his skull and yawning

I'd like to speculate that 'Transcendental Meditation' was Brian taking the piss out of the concept by making an atonal jazz-influenced song

― PaulTMA

if that was true johnny carson would have a lot to be mad about

Always felt Mike "Boris" Love was really getting into character for "Monster Mash" in that pic.

I’ll sign Brian & Al’s petition, on the condition that this online protest doesn’t involve saying nasty things about Southern policemen's mothers.

Is this the thread where we linked the 80s interview with Mike in the hot tub getting greased up before a massage and what not? If so, I never want to see that again.

I don’t even want to read your description of it again.

Does anyone have the photo of Mike getting a manicure from about two years ago

I’ve seen that hot tub interview

hot tub love machine

CHALLOPS TRIGGER: The "Beach Boys"-influence thrown around at early Jesus & Mary Chain records was not Brian Wilson songs but the Mike Love songs.

Surfin' USA is a Chuck Berry song, if that's what you're thinking of.

https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/3798/works

didn't know how much love wrote with brian

Love is famously an "add a word, take a third" practitioner.

haha

I think that's fair enough though, didn't he get royally screwed by Murry Wilson while Brian stood idly by? Or should that be royalty screwed?

It's arguable that Mike Love is largely responsible for ensuring that a lot of people who weren't around in the '60s know who the Beach Boys are. I mean, a ton of bands had +/- a dozen hits in that era and pretty much got stuck in the classic rock gravity well. Like, they aren't really broadly remembered for any of their actual new material issued from then until the late '80s. Now, one might argue that that's like Charlie Chaplin being remembered nowadays largely on the back of a popular line of Chaplin-branded handguns, but, well, being remembered is literally all that matters in the end. It's a value-neutral sitch.

They are remembered and revered in spite of Mike Love's antics, not because of them.

He's a terrible guy but it's not like I skip over Mike-heavy tracks

I definitely enjoy his presence on the classic tracks

Mike is the lead singer on nearly all of the best and most iconic '60s tracks... I'll call BS on the Beach Boys being remembered and revered "in spite of" him.

In spite of his antics. Not his voice or performance skills.

Also lead singers on the best of their 60s material were the Wilson brothers.

IT'S STUDENT DEMONSTRATION TIME!

I think it's just folly to try to discount the fact he was a distinctive part of their vocal presentation

One consistent source of amusement over the years has been imagining Mike Love scanning Van Dyke Parks's Smile lyrics for the first time.

Like just the growing look of consternation on his face, occasionally looking up at an eager Brian and Van Dyke sitting side-by-side all like 'Well? It's genius, right?' as Mike's conservative core swelled and calcified with every lyric he read about how great it is to eat vegetables.

Love's an asshole, but he was the bass, and his voice is well-recognized.

that said, hope he dies this year

I think it's just folly to try to discount the fact he was a distinctive part of their vocal presentation

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, November 10, 2020 10:18 PM bookmarkflaglink

otm

Yes but the issue on the table is "Love is largely responsible for ensuring that a lot of people who weren't around in the '60s know who the Beach Boys are."

Afaict he's a memorable thing about the band that people who WERE around information the 60s are familiar with. Hence his current career.

In

I mean more like the thing where he was all about preserving the legacy of the band who sang about beach-related phenomena rather than letting them be forgotten as the band who sang about Johnny Carson and who ran the iron horse.

If it isn't clear (as I'd hope it would be, given my knowledge of BB ephemera), I am not much of a Mike Love fan. Just trying to address the thread topic heah.

"the band who sang about beach-related phenomena rather than letting them be forgotten as the band who sang about Johnny Carson and who ran the iron horse."

It's the latter that affirms their reputation. Obviously.

everybody knows "She's Goin' Bald" is their signature song

It one of them!

Mike Love's only good solo writing credit is Big Sur on Holland. He probably has credits on more good Beach Boys songs than Van Dyke Parks or any of the non-Brian members, but his contributions aren't the deciding factor.

everything, read my posts. Read them.

I did. They were shit posts.

I Do Not Love everything

"everybody knows "She's Goin' Bald" is their signature song"

Almost everything from Summer Days to Holland is iconic btw.

xpost Oh okay cool I guess you can go and fuck yourself then, dude named after the band who sang 'Hooch'.

xxpost, I mean. Neanderthal knows I'd never tell him to fuck himself.

If you want to talk about how classic the Beach Boys are, there are probably eight billion threads where you can do that. This is the thread where we (almost certainly against our better judgment) defend Mike Love. If you can't make an argument for shitty ballcaps and rolling one's eyes at Brian Wilson's fragility, you'd probably be advised to gtfo of this thread.

Anyway, sorry for getting aggro. Anyone 'round these parts can tell you 'That's Not Me' (a Beach Boys song title)

Big Beach Boys fan and therefore big Mike Love fan here. Eager to defend him any day.

He is not the reason they are "remembered". (Imho)

Please, no fighting, this is the Mike Love thread.

FUCK YOU, LOVE MIKE

(^the name of Mike's first solo album iirc)

Mike Love, Not War

Brian's live bands, often with Al Jardine, play a solid dose of classic cars & girls Beach Boys pop hits amidst the more sensitive BBs songs and Brian's other material.

Mike's live Beach Boys, since he's seen the genuine interest in and love for their deeper catalogue that Brian's shows generate, play killer-no-filler state fair sets and two-hour theatre sets that span the Wilsons-era catalogue (plus Kokomo). He is clearly aware that different people remember, or have come to appreciate, different things about the Beach Boys, and he is happy to sell an experience to both major types of them. But it's unlikely that even he, deep down, believes that his shitty 80s and 90s touring Boys are the reason that either audience remember the sunshine songs or the sadness songs.

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1675115949_16.jpg

He did "The Kid" act in b boys AOK.
shakes ass like a homosexual.
inspired great new MES hex lyric.
TM.
― Snappy (sexyDancer), Wednesday, February 2, 2005 11:34 PM bookmarkflaglink

Look, the purview of this thread was always going to be a minefield. I tried and that's what's important.

MIKE
LOVE
FUCKS YOU

MIKE LOVE made it

If MIKE LOVE Fits, You Must Acquit

good post-Trump anger thread

don’t jinx it bro

Vanilla Ice, Mike Love-Led Beach Boys Headline Trump’s Mar-A-Lago New Year’s Eve Party https://consequenceofsound.net/2021/01/vanilla-ice-beach-boys-mar-a-lago-nye/

Sounds about right

Stop, collaborate and bootlick

Was John Cowsill there? Say it isn’t so.

Jeff Foskett left two years ago (for throat surgery, but it's nice to imagine he stayed away for maga reasons)

Ice is back with a brand new sedition

Berlin?! Sigh.

Yeah

Took my breath away

Granted this is more about Irving Azoff and his minion partner and their fucked up plans for the Beach Boys but Jesus H.

https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/beach-boys-rights-sale-azoff-1129316/

Chastan gets most excited talking about the Beach Boys’ brand and future tech possibilities. “That includes VR, AR, 3D, CGI, natural language processing, et cetera,” he says. “That, to me, is probably the most interesting aspect of what’s going to transform our business. In five years, I could send you a text and say, ‘At 2 p.m., let’s put our Oculus Rift glasses on, and let’s go see the Beach Boys record ‘Good Vibrations’ at Western Recorders.’ ”

The CEO continues: “The studio is still there, so we could 3D scan the studio. The Beach Boys’ faces can be digitally replicated pretty easily. You’ve seen it with that Scorsese movie [The Irishman], where he did the de-aging technology. You’ve got natural language processing, which gives you the technology to actually have a conversation. So we could be witness to history from our couch.”

Chastan recently visited with Love in Lake Tahoe, where he looked at old memorabilia. “One thing that Iconic offers, which is absolutely unique, is that we’re a partner while they’re alive to actually help them shape that legacy, which they can’t do once they’re gone,” says Chastan. “How you want to be remembered? How you want to see your legacy in the future, even when you’re not there?”

Love even says there may be a day when the Beach Boys are touring long after he stops singing. “As long as it’s presented beautifully and authentically,” he says. “The beauty of music is, even though the originators might not be there anymore, the music can live on for centuries, as you know from the classics. Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, you know?”

Beach Boys AR would be weird as fuck

The deal does not give Iconic ownership of much of the Beach Boys’ Sixties material, which is now owned by Universal.

Beach Boys AR = what, Mike Love sitting on yr couch and making shitty comments about all yr stuff

sorry to say that anyone willing to pay for that kind of content is most likely too old to adapt to the technology required

Virtual Mike Love tears up your lyric sheet and tells you not to fuck with the formula.

I'd like a Beach Boys AR where we tell Love to fuck off, throw him out of the studio and replace his vocals with Brian's original guides.

WATCH Mike take more than his share of credit! ATTEMPT to remove Mike's cap! MARVEL as Mike smacks your hand away, harder than was at all necessary!

Your Surfer Girl Is In Another Castle

Beach Boys role playing game

"Do you

A) Do a song that everybody knows OR
B) some acid shit bout "column ruins domino""

I'd like a Beach Boys AR where we tell Love to fuck off, throw him out of the studio and replace his vocals with Brian's original guides.

― birdistheword, Saturday, February 20, 2021 6:11 PM (twenty minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

You're looking for This is the thread where we tell Mike Love to FUCK OFF and Defenestrate Mike Love

it'll be called Pieces of Mike Love and pieces of his cold dead body are strewn about the studio, with a reanimated Dennis using his thigh bone to drum

Comes with a bonus CD of Tibetan thigh bone music by reanimated Genesis P Orridge

Mike Love was born March 15, 1941. pic.twitter.com/iJARB6pK4T

— Van Dyke Parks (@thevandykeparks) March 15, 2021

Trump missed a chance to name Mike "Secretary of Fun Fun Fun".

Photos provide an interesting contrast in two distinct ways to deal with balding.

every time this thread gets bumped I have to watch this 18 times

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdYbymafUd0

LOL @ Parks's tweet.

He even got Skunk Baxter of the Doobies in there.

Stay away when there's a riot going on...

Mike Love was even an asshole in Radio Shack ads! pic.twitter.com/KKiKmvXAbB

— Victor Berger IV (@VicBergerIV) January 7, 2022

He was also into red hats even back then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAT6UD8x-y0

"is anyone going to sing along with us?"

incredible to watch something like a LiveAid performance and he still gives off that asshole camp counselor from your childhood memory vibe.

was re-watching the grateful dead bio and it's kinda of funny that mike love is the pigpen that ended up in control of the band's legacy.

I want to believe:

#FBIWFO released a new photo of this man who who allegedly assaulted law enforcement personnel at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Do you recognize him? Call 1-800-225-5324 or visit https://t.co/t8G7LO4hxu to submit a tip. Refer to photo 398 in your tip. pic.twitter.com/nNgJLKht8y

— FBI Washington Field (@FBIWFO) September 6, 2022

LMAO

So I’ll actually try to defend the indefensible. This song (which I found while poking around on the Feel Flows box) is terrific and one of Mike’s best lead vocals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLYSGeAaPEw

That song is also on the two-disc version, it's one of the better outtakes; it certainly would have been preferable to the Mike song that made it on Surf's Up. His vocal has a jaundiced edge without sounding snide or sarcastic, which is unexpected.