Mike's Best

[jamsvet]

That last line says it all. He kept the band alive for all these years. It wasn't Brian. We owe a great deal to him. I only hope that no one second guesses my life especially while I'm still trying to live it.

[Mikie]

It wasn't Brian.

If it wasn't for Brian, Mike wouldn't be touring right now with all those songs to sing for 2 1/2 hours.

Brian could have been sitting on his ass collecting residuals from CD sales and publishing royalties if he wanted to. Instead, he's been touring for the past 12 years entertaining crowds world wide with some great music and not making a lot of money at it.

[runnersdialzero]

It wasn't Brian.

If it wasn't for Brian, Mike wouldn't be touring right now with all those songs to sing for 2 1/2 hours.

And who wrote the lyrics to most of those songs? Lyrics which probably contributed greatly to their popularity given the era they came out of? imo imo imo

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

It's useless! Someone's just gonna say the lyrics don't matter much or Brian must've have heavily contributed to them no matter what the case. Even songs that are accepted to be mainly Mike's work, people act like they were there in the room with Brian and Mike and just know that whatever song in question is 90% Brian!

I'd be willing to bet that Mike was also contributing vocal melodies along with lyrics. I never hear this discussed.

[Moon Dawg]

  I remember reading an interview with Carl Wilson in what was probably the Sept 1983 issue of MUSICIAN. (Swiped it from my high school library at the beginning of 12th grade.) He said something along the lines of "It's not widely known but Michael had a hand in the vocal arrangements." Maybe someone can verify or validate this quote.

 This reunion is really something...it's turning me into a Mike Love apologist/fan!

[Mikie]

I'd be willing to bet that Mike was also contributing vocal melodies along with lyrics. I never hear this discussed.

Me neither.  Ever.  I've only seen/heard Mike comment many times on Brian's great ability at vocal arrangement and harmony.  If he had a hand in it, with his ego, don't you think he would have given himself credit for the vocals by now?  Or maybe he's yet to sue Brian again - this time for credit with vocal arrangements. 

I wouldn't doubt that Mike had a hand in arranging vocals for his solo albums, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he contributed a couple of things for the Beach Boys sessions (i.e. MIU).  But whatever he knows, he knows from being around Brian.

[SamMcK]

I used to only like Brian before I found out about this site, in fact I actually labelled The Beach Boys on my ipod under Brian Wilson! Through this forum i've found out a lot more about the Beach Boys and know that it was the contributions of all the Beach Boys and Mike in particular who made the group so great. Its when I see comments such as this on youtube that annoy me:

"Mike was the reason the band broke up. Brian was a total genius songwriter, and he wanted to move the band in a more artistic direction, but Mike only wanted fame and to make hits. He can be summed up with his famous quote "Don't f*ck with the formula, Brian." He hated Pet Sounds and tried to stop the band from making it, and successfully stopped the band from making SMiLE (until recently, because he needs the money). He bullied Brian because Brian was too crazy and nice to fight back."

[Moon Dawg]

I'd be willing to bet that Mike was also contributing vocal melodies along with lyrics. I never hear this discussed.

Me neither.  Ever.

 Do you remember that Fall 1983 MUSICIAN feature? I'd forgotten about it until Erik's post rang a bell in my head. Do I think Mike Love was primary in the vocal melodies? No.

[Wirestone]

I'd be willing to bet that Mike was also contributing vocal melodies along with lyrics. I never hear this discussed.

Me neither.  Ever.

Y'know, this is a _very_ good point. Generally, when you have a lead vocalist (Mike) who writes lyrics to tracks (which he often did), that vocalist does play a role in fashioning the vocal melodies. Case in point, someone like Michael Stipe. Or any number of other guys who do the same thing. It makes sense. I mean, I don't doubt that Brian did the chorus melodies, and he probably knew the feel he wanted in the verse, but yeah, I can totally see Mike having input in that way.

  I remember reading an interview with Carl Wilson in what was probably the Sept 1983 issue of MUSICIAN. (Swiped it from my high school library at the beginning of 12th grade.) He said something along the lines of "It's not widely known but Michael had a hand in the vocal arrangements." Maybe someone can verify or validate this quote.

 This reunion is really something...it's turning me into a Mike Love apologist/fan!

I wouldn't doubt this either. I don't know about the arrangements for the full band, but I can easily imagine Mike suggesting do-wop style bass parts. And we know he contributed vocal hooks, too, so that probably counts.

[Mikie]

Do you remember that Fall 1983 MUSICIAN feature?

No, but I gotta find it.  The only one I remember is Musician magazine with Brian on the cover. 1985, I think.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

When Mike dies I would hope a Bill Hinche dvd is released in the vain of Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson. Also perhaps a book called 'The Guy Who Thought He Was the Beach Boys' by Jon Stebbins. I think there is a lot of interesting facts that haven't been heard by the masses. But Mike being too private a person to let a book like that get released. Although, the Carl estate perhaps still wants his privacy protected. So perhaps a revealing book like for Brian, Dennis and Dave would never be aloud for the other guys? But my selfish curiousity would love to learn more behind Mike and Carl.

[Cam Mott]

  I remember reading an interview with Carl Wilson in what was probably the Sept 1983 issue of MUSICIAN. (Swiped it from my high school library at the beginning of 12th grade.) He said something along the lines of "It's not widely known but Michael had a hand in the vocal arrangements." Maybe someone can verify or validate this quote.

 This reunion is really something...it's turning me into a Mike Love apologist/fan!

I remember something like this too. Was it excerpted in one of Kingsley Abbott's books?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I'd be willing to bet that Mike was also contributing vocal melodies along with lyrics. I never hear this discussed.

Me neither.  Ever.

 Do you remember that Fall 1983 MUSICIAN feature? I'd forgotten about it until Erik's post rang a bell in my head. Do I think Mike Love was primary in the vocal melodies? No.

I never said he was primary! But it is not crazy at all (well, outside the realm of Beach Boys fandom) to consider the possibility that whoever is writing lyrics is also figuring out how they are to be sung. I'm just saying it's possible (and in my experience writing songs alone and with others: it is actually highly likely) and anyone who KNOWS otherwise is kidding themselves.... And I don't just apply this logic to Mike but also Gary Usher, Tony Asher, VDP and whoever else.... Though, with Mike it's especially likely considering he was a singer in the freaking band he was contributing lyrics for....

I suppose we'll just have to wait for the touching eulogy OSD doubtless has prepared for the truth to be told finally.

[Steve Mayo]

Do you remember that Fall 1983 MUSICIAN feature?

No, but I gotta find it.  The only one I remember is Musician magazine with Brian on the cover. 1985, I think.

this is scanned in the media section under magazine scans.....here is a link to the page it is on...

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10376.25.html

[oldsurferdude]

I'd be willing to bet that Mike was also contributing vocal melodies along with lyrics. I never hear this discussed.

Me neither.  Ever.

 Do you remember that Fall 1983 MUSICIAN feature? I'd forgotten about it until Erik's post rang a bell in my head. Do I think Mike Love was primary in the vocal melodies? No.

I never said he was primary! But it is not crazy at all (well, outside the realm of Beach Boys fandom) to consider the possibility that whoever is writing lyrics is also figuring out how they are to be sung. I'm just saying it's possible (and in my experience writing songs alone and with others: it is actually highly likely) and anyone who KNOWS otherwise is kidding themselves.... And I don't just apply this logic to Mike but also Gary Usher, Tony Asher, VDP and whoever else.... Though, with Mike it's especially likely considering he was a singer in the freaking band he was contributing lyrics for....

I suppose we'll just have to wait for the touching eulogy OSD doubtless has prepared for the truth to be told finally.

[Mikie]

Carl: "It's not widely known, but Michael had a hand in a lot of the arrangements. He would bring out the funkier approaches, whether to go shoo-boo-bop or bom-bom-di-did-did. It makes a big difference because it can change the whole rhythm, the whole color and tone of it."

"Brian drove Mike crazy. Mike would be in the middle of a lead vocal and Brian would stop it, the others told Brian they loved it, but Brian would 86 it and do it again!"

Thanks, Steve!   Good memories, Moon Dawg and Steve!