THE ENDLESS SUMMER WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE BEACH BOYS 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR WRAP

[the professor]

The professor is back from China.

Al's statement said Mike was willing to talk it over.  I hope that they do and that they formally supplement that "public notice" style bulletin (which I think they were obliged to post) about Mike and Bruce touring with some sort of comforting follow up statement (as we all have been crafting for them) saying, essentially, "M and B will carry the flag for the while while Dave Al and Brian rest up; then the BB will be back in the studio in January making a follow up to TWGMTR and planning more events as 2013 roles on, so stay tuned!!"

Mike is right about saturation; he is also right about wanting to write songs with Brian, as we all love the album, but many songs are JT songs, and Mike longs for some old school family purity; he quite rightly wants more of an "our album" feeling than he, Bruce, Al and Dave were able to achieve on TWG, in which they came late and supplemented, in many cases, existing tracks.

[Juice Brohnston]

Maybe we will get some more of this great Beach Boys lineup in the future.  Or, maybe Bobby Ewing will simply step out of the shower

[SamMcK]

I hope it all works out for them, all this entire business is a bit disconcerting but I won't mind so much with Mike+Bruce using the Beach Boys name if we are given notice the boys will continue at some point with a new album or a new tour next year.

[GoodToMyBaby]

Anyone else find this whole thing fun to watch in spite of it all?

[Jim V.]

he is also right about wanting to write songs with Brian, as we all love the album, but many songs are JT songs, and Mike longs for some old school family purity; he quite rightly wants more of an "our album" feeling than he, Bruce, Al and Dave were able to achieve on TWG, in which they came late and supplemented, in many cases, existing tracks.

Mike does not deserve in any way to write with Brian. They haven't been a real songwriting team since probably 1967, and if I'm being kind, 1979. Brian might wanna work with him sometimes, but if he doesn't, too bad. Brian is the leader in the studio and the band does what he wants. I'm sure Mike will get to co-write a few songs and that should be enough unless he steps up his lyrical game to the point where maybe Brian would wanna use him on different types of songs.

[SMiLE Brian]

he is also right about wanting to write songs with Brian, as we all love the album, but many songs are JT songs, and Mike longs for some old school family purity; he quite rightly wants more of an "our album" feeling than he, Bruce, Al and Dave were able to achieve on TWG, in which they came late and supplemented, in many cases, existing tracks.

Mike does not deserve in any way to write with Brian. They haven't been a real songwriting team since probably 1967, and if I'm being kind, 1979. Brian might wanna work with him sometimes, but if he doesn't, too bad. Brian is the leader in the studio and the band does what he wants. I'm sure Mike will get to co-write a few songs and that should be enough unless he steps up his lyrical game to the point where maybe Brian would wanna use him on different types of songs.

Mike is greatly overrated as Brian's song writing partner, he did write some great songs early but time has shown he can't write well anymore. Alot of his song writing credits are sketchy ones from the lawsuit. People forget Brian wrote with a lot of different people in the early years.

[the professor]

I agree to some extent but not to the overly exercised "does not deserve" rhetoric. Mike is not finished, and I like SV just fine. But when I imagine him writing again with Brian, I am hoping for more a "Kiss me baby" level of excellence that what they obtained in BIM and in any of their brief moments of collaboration on TWG. One can be deep and romantic without being dark, and one can write without name checking and without overtly indulgent nostalgia. As the professor once said in a post, Mike can get away with that only once, in the context of a reunion album. Now it's time for actual creativity. Mike has to step up. When I said he was right, I ought to have said that I understand his impulse and ambition; accordingly, I hope, as Mike does, for a magical result from Wilson-Love collaboration. Thank you two for prodding me to clarify. Bottom line is they have to do another album.

[SMiLE Brian]

Mike could have some decent lyrical talents left, but he chooses instead to stick to using kokomo as blueprint for success. He just doesn't see that song was a fluke success.

[Rocker]

One can be deep and romantic without being dark, and one can write without name checking and without overtly indulgent nostalgia.

Exactly. The title track is nostalgic and doesn't name check all their old hits, etc. and it works very, very well. And that's why Mike's lyrics on SV and BIM sound even worse, because they are on an album with a song that really does it right.

As the professor once said in a post, Mike can get away with that only once, in the context of a reunion album. Now it's time for actual creativity. Mike has to step up. When I said he was right, I ought to have said that I understand his impulse and ambition; accordingly, I hope, as Mike does, for a magical result from Wilson-Love collaboration.

I agree. For a person who uses the word creativity as much as Mike does he doesn't show very much of it in his recent work.
I'd like to mention again though that I think Mike's greatest talent are hooks and not lyrics.

[HeyJude]

Mike is right about saturation; he is also right about wanting to write songs with Brian, as we all love the album, but many songs are JT songs, and Mike longs for some old school family purity; he quite rightly wants more of an "our album" feeling than he, Bruce, Al and Dave were able to achieve on TWG, in which they came late and supplemented, in many cases, existing tracks.

I just don't agree that he's right about saturation. He's correct in theory, but only based on the assumption that attempting to not oversaturate the name would include NOT touring under the name.

Before the tour started, some media outlets even interviewed tour industry people, whose main deal is simply following tour trends and perception of bands in the industry, etc. I recall one interview where they basically stated that Mike touring as the "Beach Boys" sans numerous surviving original members for 13-plus years, has created a sort of lower value to the band and its brand in the industry. This has a bit less to do with the average Joe who goes to the shows and doesn't know who is who and doesn't care, and a bit more to do with venues and promoters and whatnot. It's not that they haven't been able to get bookings year after year; we know they don't have problems with that. But they have dipped a bit in the last decade or two in terms of the prestige (and sometimes size, and as a result revenue) of some of the venues they play.

To put it another way, if there were no BB shows of any kind after September 28th until the "reunion" lineup reconvened in the summer of, say, 2014, they'd probably sell more tickets than they would or will if Mike tours his BB's in 2013 for over 100 shows.

[runnersdialzero]

What the fuck, people.

[HeyJude]

Was just listening to the acapella intro to "Pacific Coast Highway." There. That's why they need to keep working and singing together. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

I was curious as to the actual number of shows that Mike and Bruce did play over the last couple of years. Anybody have those numbers?

I don't think it will happen, but you know what would be cool? If this incarnation of The Beach Boys got together in December for a short Christmas/holiday tour. I'll bet the wives would like it, too.

[oldsurferdude]

Mike is right about saturation; he is also right about wanting to write songs with Brian, as we all love the album, but many songs are JT songs, and Mike longs for some old school family purity; he quite rightly wants more of an "our album" feeling than he, Bruce, Al and Dave were able to achieve on TWG, in which they came late and supplemented, in many cases, existing tracks.

I just don't agree that he's right about saturation. He's correct in theory, but only based on the assumption that attempting to not oversaturate the name would include NOT touring under the name.

Before the tour started, some media outlets even interviewed tour industry people, whose main deal is simply following tour trends and perception of bands in the industry, etc. I recall one interview where they basically stated that Mike touring as the "Beach Boys" sans numerous surviving original members for 13-plus years, has created a sort of lower value to the band and its brand in the industry. This has a bit less to do with the average Joe who goes to the shows and doesn't know who is who and doesn't care, and a bit more to do with venues and promoters and whatnot. It's not that they haven't been able to get bookings year after year; we know they don't have problems with that. But they have dipped a bit in the last decade or two in terms of the prestige (and sometimes size, and as a result revenue) of some of the venues they play.

To put it another way, if there were no BB shows of any kind after September 28th until the "reunion" lineup reconvened in the summer of, say, 2014, they'd probably sell more tickets than they would or will if Mike tours his BB's in 2013 for over 100 shows.

Myke Luhv-The King of All Unchecked BB Saturation. (see R&R HOF speech).

[Nicko1234]

Exactly. The title track is nostalgic and doesn't name check all their old hits, etc. and it works very, very well. And that's why Mike's lyrics on SV and BIM sound even worse, because they are on an album with a song that really does it right.

It should be remembered though that Brian came up with the titles to those two songs. It would be interesting to see what lyrics Mike would come up with if given a non-surf theme to write about.

[Slow In Brain]

Maybe we will get some more of this great Beach Boys lineup in the future.  Or, maybe Bobby Ewing will simply step out of the shower

Does this mean BW has really been JR all along ?

[shadownoze]

So who actually casts the Carl vote these days when it comes to BRI business? Anyone know?

[musicismylife101]

Has anyone seen Al's FB recently (not the fanpage)? He's sharing articles about it and posting stuff like "Let's keep it going" and "Please keep your comments coming if you want the FIVE Beach Boys to keep touring!"

[Pretty Funky]

It would not surprise me if it all goes t!ts-up between Mike and Al within days of the last London gig, if it has not already done so.

[Justin]

Been posted?  Note the name of the article in the URL:  "beach boys split" 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/showbiz/beach-boys-split/

A blindsided Wilson said, "I'm disappointed and can't understand why he (Love) doesn't want to tour with Al, David and me. We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys."

[Jim V.]

Don't know if anybody caught this article from the CNN website, but it has a quote from Brian about the whole thing:

"I'm disappointed and can't understand why he (Love) doesn't want to tour with Al, David and me. We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys."

It's also mentioned once again that Brian wants to work on a new rock 'n roll album, but that he doesn't know who he's gonna be working with on it, although he hopes it will be The Beach Boys.

I gotta say this is unbelievable that this story has went this far and that Mike hasn't worked something out with Brian and Al and put out a press release saying at the least, "yes, Bruce and I are going to do a few shows as The Beach Boys, but just a really quick little thing before we head back to the studio to work on a new album with Brian, and then hopefully another tour with the Brian, Al, and Dave." Or, if he wants it so, "after our last show in England, I will not be working in the foreseeable future with Brian, Al, and Dave. I thank them for a great time this year but it's time for Bruce and I to hit the road again!"

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/showbiz/beach-boys-split/

EDIT: Justin you beat me to it!

[Jay]

The line "After all, we are the real beach boys" strikes me as something the real Brian would never say. Unless I misunderstood the meaning.

[Shady]

Mike brought this on himself.

I have no sympathy for the incredible amount of hate he's getting

[John Manning]

There's a strong element of heartbreak about this. What a bummer mood to be hitting London with.

[Justin]

Wouldn't it be great if this was just another trick that all of them are pulling on us again?  Just like Brian did to all of us all last year when he denied that a reunion would happen and how disinterested he was in participating in it?  What if this whole thing about Brian being disappointed is all another act just to get the media and fans off their backs so when they do reform in the future....it'd be another surprise and another huge success because we never thought it'd happen again. 

If this was all just one bit act...I say "bravo."